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SHILLONG, Oct 25: The Opposition Congress may have an upper hand in the October 30 by-elections owing to the division of votes among candidates fielded by the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) constituents, political observers said.
However, the National People’s Party (NPP), the United Democratic Party (UDP) and the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) – three allies of the MDA – are unwilling to accept that their decision to fight it out alone will benefit a “divided” Congress party.
The UDP and the NPP are contesting in Mawphlang while in Rajabala, they as well as the BJP have fielded their own candidates. In Mawryngkneng however, the UDP is supporting the NPP candidate. The Congress is contesting all three seats. The HSPDP is supporting the UDP candidates in Mawphlang and Rajabala.
The Shillong Times spoke to the leaders of the ruling coalition to find out why they have not fielded consensus candidates.
UDP general secretary, Jemino Mawthoh felt the decision to field candidates separately will not make any difference since all the parties have their own ideology and style of functioning in terms of organisation and issues being highlighted.
“It also depends on issues at the constituency-level. The issues differ from constituency to constituency,” Mawthoh said.
Senior UDP leader, Bindo M Lanong said all the parties are going it alone. He claimed that the Congress is a divided house, pointing out that Congress Legislature Party leader Mukul Sangma is keeping a low profile since the Tenth Schedule does not allow him to leave the party.
He further claimed that the division in the Congress is evident from the defection of Member of Development Council, Lamphrang Blah who had been in the party for 25 years, to the NPP.
He said another Congress leader in Mawryngkneng, Norbert Marboh left the party and is contesting the by-polls as an independent candidate. Lanong was quick to point out that the UDP’s Rajabala candidate, Ashahel D Shira is also a former Congress leader.
NPP state president, WR Kharlukhi said November 2 is not far away and the results will reveal whether or not the decision to contest the elections separately helped the parties in the MDA.
Hill State People’s Democratic Party president, KP Pangniang said the party, which is a part of the Regional Democratic Alliance, is backing the UDP candidates in Mawphlang and Rajabala for the benefit of regional parties. “We feel that with this move, we will be able to strengthen our regional ties and win more elections,” he said confidently.