UDP grieves loss of a unifier

SHILLONG: A shocked UDP leadership said the party would follow the imprints left by its president Donkupar Roy who passed away on Sunday, while describing him as the unifying factor.
Jemino Mawthoh, the general secretary, told The Shillong Times on Sunday that Roy’s death has left a big void in the state politics.
“We are shocked. His death is a big loss to the state as a whole; he was instrumental in the formation of the present government, he was the focal point. His demise has left a big void, a vacuum in the politics of Meghalaya,” he said.
Describing Roy as a tall leader and a veteran, Mawthoh said the party will follow the imprints left by the late leader. “We will have to honour and respect the decisions he had taken. Since he has shown the way, we will try our level best to take forward whatever he has provided,” he said.
Mawthoh said Roy was a unifying factor. “Look at the efforts he made to bring together the other regional political parties,” he said.
A successful politician, Roy had won the Shella seat consecutively for seven terms since 1988.
UDP cabinet ministers Lahkmen Rymbui and Kyrmen Shylla said Roy’s death was a great loss.
Rymbui recalled Roy had held many posts and was one of the most senior members of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.
Echoing Mawthoh, Rymbui said, “Yes, he was a unifying factor. He was a father figure who gave advice whenever needed.”
Stating that it is hard to get a leader like Roy, Shylla recalled the guidance he had received from the departed leader when he came into politics. “I feel like an orphan. We learnt a lot from him and he guided us a lot,” Shylla said.