SHILLONG: The HSPDP becomes the first ally to declare its full commitment to the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) by saying it will not go against the coalition’s decision on common candidate for the Lok Sabha election.
Speaking to The Shillong Times recently, HSPDP MLA Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar said, “We will comply with the arrangement of the MDA. We will sit and decide whether the MDA zeroes in on any candidate. But our party will not go against MDA.”
HSPDP and the United Democratic Party (UDP), which form the Regional Democratic Alliance (RDA), have announced their respective candidates for the 2019 Lok Sabha election.
The UDP has decided to go for Jemino Mawthoh while HSPDP has proposed the name of Tongkhar as the common candidate.
However, the other regional ally, the People’s Democratic Front (PDF), has expressed its willingness to contest the Lok Sabha polls. Besides, the BJP on Saturday announced that it would contest the Shillong and Tura seats.
The BJP, UDP, HSPDP and PDF are allies in the MDA government.
Golden jubilee
The closing ceremony of 50 years’ journey of HSPDP will be observed on December 15 in which the bust of HSPDP supremo Hoping Stone Lyngdoh will be unveiled.
Renikton said he party will invite its former MLAs and felicitate volunteers of the state movement. The chief guest of the programme is Assembly Speaker Donkupar Roy.
When asked, he said the second list of council candidates will be released after December 15. The state election committee will sit for a meeting to decide on this.
