Paul defends UDP’s Lok Sabha dreams

SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) is a coalition and not an electoral front, senior UDP leader Paul Lyngdoh has clarified when asked about common candidate for the Lok Sabha election.
“It is only fair and natural for any political party to try and assert itself and there is nothing wrong in that,” he said when asked about UDP campaigning for Tura parliamentary seat without the official declaration of an MDA candidate.
Stating that MDA is a legislative front and it is a coalition of parties which are in the government, Lyngdoh said, “It is not necessarily a political front that fights elections. Not necessarily an electoral front but a coalition that makes up a government. MDA is a post election phenomenon.”
However, on the delay in announcing a common candidate, Lyngdoh agreed to a recent statement by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma that “it is a difficult task and coming to a consensus when there are divergent views is certainly not going to be a walk in the park”.
KHADC inadequacies
When asked about the district council election, Lyngdoh, who is the party’s council poll candidate from Jaiaw, said the inadequacy in the Khasi Hills district council is caused by the current leadership and the gap has to be filled.
Lyngdoh has already started his preparations for the election and his agenda is to eliminate the “series of inadequacies caused by leadership issue”.
Talking to reporters on poll preparedness, Lyngdoh said, “I have started my preparations from the day the constituency committee favoured and pushed for my candidature. I have met members, electorate and constituents of Jaiaw constituency.”
According to Lyngdoh, people in Jaiaw know his track record as a legislator for 10 years in the constituency and for five years in West Shillong.