Coalition partners divided over common candidate
SHILLONG: The Shella bypoll scheduled for October 21 will be another test for the unity of the MDA coalition after the election of Speaker and the induction of a cabinet minister.
The post of the Speaker and the cabinet berth went to the UDP.
However, there are already differences of opinion regarding supporting a common candidate for the bypoll which was necessitated following the death of Shella legislator Donkupar Roy.
The UDP has already fielded Balajied Synrem, the son of Roy.
The NPP is yet to decide on whether to support Balajied or field a candidate.
Sources said on Sunday that while the top NPP leaders are in favour of supporting the UDP candidate as a mark of respect to Roy, who was the MDA architect, the East Khasi Hills unit of the party wanted the NPP to contest the seat to understand its strength.
The NPP, East Khasi Hills, had indicated that the party workers may not support a common candidate and to ensure that the party members are united, it would be ideal for the NPP to put up a candidate.
When contacted, the NPP state president W R Kharlukhi said that the matter will have to be discussed by the NPP, East Khasi Hills District.
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong is the president of the East Khasi Hills unit of the party.
When asked his personal opinion, Kharlukhi said that though there is a need to express solidarity to the departed UDP leader Roy, the matter is left to the East Khasi Hills unit.
He also said the plan of the coalition partners to contest separately will not affect the unity of the MDA.
According to Kharlukhi, there was no pre-poll arrangement when the coalition partners contested the Assembly polls and hence they are free to contest other polls separately as the MDA is the outcome of post poll alliance.
Other coalition partners, PDF and BJP are determined to field their own candidates for the bypoll.
Sources said that the PDF will get the support of newly formed United Progressive Front (UPF) comprising six MLAs, including four from PDF.
The UDP leader Allantry Dkhar said the party’s top leaders will reach out to the MDA coalition partners to get their support.
When asked, Dkhar ruled out multiple candidates affecting the poll prospect of the party candidate.
He said the pre-poll alliance partner HSPDP will be supporting the party candidate while he is yet to get any feedback from other coalition partners.