SHILLONG, Nov 17: Senior UDP leader Bindo M Lanong’s threat of floating his own party ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections seems to fallen flat with the party leadership maintaining a safe distance from both Lanong and his threat.
While the UDP leaders are tightlipped on its internal rumblings, sources close to the party said that Lanong’s threat is unlikely to have any effect on the leadership.
When UDP president Metbah Lyngdoh was asked to comment on the Lanong issue, he said he had not comments to make.
Similarly, other top leaders also refrained from making comments. However, a UDP leader who did not wish to be named said, “Free and loose speech in a democracy can prove to be costly sometimes.”
If the remark is anything to go by, Lanong seems to have lost favours with the UDP leadership.
However, not all is lost for the senior UDP leader and the former deputy chief minister. The Trinamool Congress has opened its gates and its arms for Lanong and invited him to join the party for the sake of change.
“Instead of floating a new party, join our movement for change which can come through long serving leaders like Bah Bindo who has a heart to serve the people and the desire to serve the state,” TMC legislator George B Lyngdoh said while speaking to The Shillong Times on Thursday.
Recalling that Lanong is one of the founding leaders of the UDP, Lyngdoh said, “Being the son of the founding president of the UDP (EK Mawlong), I feel sorry for Bah Bindo and my heart goes out to him. He really understands now how the fundamentals, principles and the vision on which the UDP was founded have been diluted with the current leaders in power.”
“I won’t encourage him to form a new party but rather join me and other leaders to take the state to new heights,” he said.
He was quick to add: “We welcome all leaders including Bindo Lanong who have the desire to serve the state in a principled manner.”
