UDP to internally take up border deal with Assam

SHILLONG, April 24: The MDA government’s silence on its demand to revisit the boundary deal with Assam has made the United Democratic Party (UDP) decide to discuss the issue internally.
The UDP is the largest of the allies of the National People’s Party in Meghalaya.
“We have already voiced our dissatisfaction. We will discuss the matter within the party before talking to the government again,” UDP general secretary Jemino Mawthoh said on Sunday, reacting to the stand of the state government against reviewing the boundary deal.
He said the UDP is appreciative of the government’s initiatives to resolve the vexed issue but there are a few border areas where the people are unhappy. These areas should be revisited, he felt.
Mawthoh said the chief executive member of the KHADC, also the UDP working president, aired his concern about the boundary deal.
“Let the NPP, which is leading the government, take cognisance of the views expressed by its coalition partners,” he added.
On the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) accusing the UDP and other regional parties of playing to the gallery on the issue, he said: “Mukul Sangma blames everybody. This is uncalled for, as we have also expressed our resentment.”
Stating that the AITC is trying to score political points in a bid to increase its acceptability in the state, Mawthoh said, “They have to somehow make their presence felt and say that it is only AITC doing the right thing. But they were all in Congress once upon a time and they did nothing (on the boundary issue) when they were in the government.”
Mawthoh recalled the UDP’s stand against the decision of the government on the MeECL issue.