SHILLONG, July 24: The People’s Democratic Party (PDF) has asked its two MLAs – Hamletson Dohling and Jason Sawkmie Mawlong – whether they wish to contest from the party in the 2023 Assembly polls.
Party insiders said Dohling, who represents the Mylliem Assembly seat and is a cabinet minister in the National People’s Party-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government and Mawlong, who is the Umsning MLA, were issued show-cause notices as they were absent from several meetings of the party.
The PDF leadership also took cognisance of the reports that the two are planning to contest from another political party in the upcoming elections, party insiders said.
There are unconfirmed reports that both Dohling and Mawlong are likely to join the National People’s Party.
Dohling said he was not aware of any show-cause notice issued by the party. “I am yet to receive any letter from the party,” he said.
He denied skipping several party meetings. “I was absent from only one meeting as I had some urgent work to attend to,” he said.
Mawlong could not be reached as he did not pick up the phone.
Earlier, PDF president Banteidor Lyngdoh said he was unaware of any such development.
“But they should not forget that they won the 2018 elections on the PDF ticket. Taking the present political scenario into account, shifting allegiance to another party will be political suicide for the MLAs,” he said.
The PDF president also claimed the NPP had approached him for joining the party. He declined the offer.
“I had politely rejected the offer and told both CM (Conrad K Sangma) and Deputy CM (Prestone Tynsong) that I wanted to remain with the PDF,” he said.
He said the party will announce its first list of candidates in August.
