UDP president says no pre-poll alliance with NPP

SHILLONG, Jan 13: The ruling National People’s Party (NPP) seems fully prepared for the electoral battle with candidates in 58 out of 60 constituencies in the state ready to contest the upcoming Assembly polls. The NPP has however skipped fielding candidates in Mairang and South Shillong.
Assembly Speaker and UDP president, Metbah Lyngdoh, the sitting MLA of Mairang, is however surprised by the NPP’s decision to not field a contestant from Mairang.
Although speculations ran rife about an understanding between UDP and NPP behind the latter’s move, both sides have denied the existence of any agreement.
“The NPP had openly announced that they are not going to field candidates in my constituency,” Lyngdoh said, while ruling out any understanding between his party and the NPP.
He then emphasised that the UDP is going it alone in the upcoming elections.
“We are not going to have any pre-poll alliance with any political party,” the UDP president said.
It may be recalled that NPP supremo and Chief Minister Conrad Sangma had revealed that the party leadership was dissatisfied with the quality of their candidates in Mairang and South Shillong.