SHILLONG: A group of six legislators who are among the partners in the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA), have formed a political alliance called United Progressive Front (UPF)
These include Cabinet Ministers, Banteidor Lyngdoh, Hamlet Dohling and MLAs, Gavin Mylliem and Jason Mawlong from the PDF, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA, Saleng Sangma and Independent MLA, Lambor Malniang.
Speaking to reporters, Lyngdoh said the need to focus on overall development of the state prompted the formation of the alliance and dismissed any threat to the MDA coalition.
Echoing Lyngdoh, Sangma said the UPF would address the grievances of the people asserting that he could not put forth the difficulties faced by the people while he was in the opposition in the last term.
“United together, we will put up one voice in the future. In a democracy, the more the number, the better,” he said.
Dohling further said the UPF would strengthen the MDA coalition to ensure that the coalition completes its five-year term with the six of its MLAs acting as pillars.
“It is the usual scene in politics. Only time will tell,” Lyngdoh said when asked whether the UPF would rope in other MLAs as well.
Dohling maintained that if other MLAs waned to join the alliance, they are welcome to do so.
The six MLAs handed over a letter to Joint Secretary of Meghalaya Legislative Assembly informing of the creation of the new Alliance in absence of the Deputy Speaker, Timothy D. Shira.
Lyngdoh said the plan to form an alliance had been discussed for the last 5-6 months.
In the MDA, there is also another coalition of regional parties called Regional Democratic Alliance (RDA) which comprises of United Democratic Party (UDP) and Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP). The RDA alliance was formed ahead of the 2018 Assembly elections.
