SHILLONG, Dec 18: United Democratic Party working president, Paul Lyngdoh criticised the National People’s Party for taking credit for all government programmes and policies by ignoring its allies in the MDA government.
“It is totally unacceptable that a single constituent of the coalition government is the focal point. The UDP parliamentary party should have taken this up very strongly,” he told The Shillong Times on Sunday.
He said most of the senior leaders of the UDP did not win in 2018, which was a major setback for the party.
“The NPP has more senior leaders who are highly educated compared to the UDP. This is also a lesson for the people. We are optimistic about getting better MLAs for this election as the quality of our candidates is much better,” Lyngdoh said.
He claimed the position of the UDP this time is good as the people have realised that the MDA regime headed by the NPP has had many failures. “We need to remember that this government will have the numbers even without the UDP. But people are now looking at the UDP as an alternative, which is encouraging,” Lyngdoh said.
Asked if the UDP will project its CM candidate, he said a decision in this regard is taken post-election in Meghalaya.
“Ours is not like the American system where the presidential candidate is projected right from the primary. Some states have projected their CM candidates ahead of the polls but this is not the case with Meghalaya,” Lyngdoh said.
He cited the examples of Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma who did not contest the 2018 Assembly election and the late F.A. Khonglam who became a CM out of the blue as an independent MLA.
Lyngdoh claimed the UDP would get an absolute majority, indicating it preferred not to work with NPP, Trinamool Congress or Congress after the 2023 polls.
“Coalition with another party is a second option. Our focus at the moment is to be the single largest party majority,” he said.
When pointed out that the UDP has ruled Meghalaya singly or in coalition except during 2013-2018, Lyngdoh said the real meaning of politics is the pursuit of power.
“We will not be able to do anything either for the state or constituency if we are not in power. Therefore, there is always a scramble for the CM’s post. It is only fair and natural that people will give UDP a chance this time since they have experienced the ruling of Congress for eight years and the NPP-led coalition in the past five years,” he said.
