Four names come up for UDP top post

SHILLONG: Names of four senior leaders of the United Democratic Party (UDP) have surfaced for the post of party president which fell vacant after the demise of Donkupar Roy.
Bindo M Lanong has been heading the party since as interim president.
The UDP is likely to decide on who would be president on September 11 when its general council elects the new office bearers.
Sources in the UDP said that the four senior leaders who are in the race for the top post are working president Paul Lyngdoh, senior working president Bindo M Lanong, Tourism Minister and party MLA Metbah Lyngdoh and general secretary Jemino Mawthoh.
) However, Mawthoh appeared to have decided to bow out of the contest saying he is for stability and is happy as a secretary.
The sources said that Mawthoh is trying to ensure that there is no split in the party which is why he has backed out of the race.
However, the sources informed that many of the elected representatives of the UDP are of the view that the president should be from among them to ensure better coordination among the party members.
Of the four names to have come up, only Metbah Lyngdoh is a legislator.
It may be recalled that the UDP vice president, Allantry Dkhar, had earlier stated that the party will go for unanimity over experience in electing its new president.