Party discusses Speaker’s post, by-election
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Senior working president of United Democratic Party (UDP), Bindo Lanong will lead the party till such time the new office bearers are elected during the general council of the party to be held on September 11.
Speaking to reporters after holding the special central executive committee meeting on Friday, the general secretary of the UDP, Jemino Mawthoh said that by virtue of Lanong being a senior working president of the UDP, he will continue to lead the party till such time the new office bearers are elected during the general council meeting.
Similarly, Lanong said that the present set-up will continue to function till new office bearers are elected.
The UDP took stock of the situation in the party following the death of its president, Donkupar Roy on July 28.
The general council of the UDP will discuss party organisation, election of new office bearers and other important issues.
The party also declared that Cabinet Minister Metbah Lyngdoh will be the chairman of the organising committee for the general council. As for the UDP in the Garo Hills, Lanong said the party will keep updating and re-organising the Garo Hills sector of the party and will visit Williamnagar tentatively on August 17.
The meeting also observed one minute silence as a mark of respect to the departed soul of the party’s late president Roy.
Speaker’s post
Lanong said the meeting took a unanimous decision that the Speaker’s post should be retained by the UDP. “We felt that the vacancy should go to the UDP again,” he added.
He maintained that the vacancy should be filled up in accordance with the past tradition.
Lanong said since Roy had been occupying the post of Speaker, the party has decided to elect a Speaker from among the UDP MLAs.
“The issue is left to the wisdom of the Parliamentary Party (PP)”, he said.
Shella by-election
As for the Shella vacancy, Lanong said a general meeting of the Shella constituency will take a decision and finalise the candidature for the Shella seat though the consensus was in favour of candidate from late Roy’s family.
The final decision will be taken at the general meeting of Shella on August 22. Lanong said the party will endorse the decision of the general meeting of Shella.
When asked whether the party will come up with a consensus candidate, Mawthoh said the party will appeal other parties not to not field any candidate.
“We will appeal but we will not stop (them from contesting),” Lanong added.