SHILLONG: The president of United Democratic Party (UDP), Dr Donkupar Roy has attributed the defeat of MDA’s common candidate, Jemino Mawthoh in the recently concluded elections from Shillong seat as a historical legacy.
Talking to media persons here on Wednesday, Dr Donkupar Roy lamented that the regional parties had not won the MP election from Shillong Parliamentary seat since 1989.
He said that in the earlier years, there was feeling among the people that the candidate of the regional parties would always align with the Congress.
“Therefore, the people feel that it would be better to elect the Congress candidate instead of the candidate of the regional forces,” UDP president said
According to Roy, the same feeling still persists among the people, adding during Lok Sabha polls people always look up to the candidate of the national parties.
Roy further stated that another reason which led to the defeat of the common candidate in the polls was huge anti-BJP and anti-Modi wave in Shillong.
He added the anti-BJP and anti-Modi wave was strong that he could not even control his own people.
He admitted that the another reason for the loss was the propaganda of Congress which they spread that BJP is anti-minority and UDP is an ally of BJP
Stating that the outcome of the MP election has nothing to do with the State election, he said that the regional parties are still a strong force in any elections in the State except for the MP election
When asked if UDP’s closeness with BJP is denting its image as the regional party, he said that there was nothing like that and regional forces would emerge stronger in future while Congress and BJP would go down.
He also said that the Congress was opposing Citizenship Amendment Bills because Muslims are left out while they are opposing the Bill since it would encourage migration into the North Eastern states.
