SHILLONG, Jan 17: UDP working president Paul Lyngdoh, who is trying to make a comeback to the legislature, appears to be fighting an uneven battle of money power that his rivals are supposed to enjoy.
Clearly frustrated by the culture of freebies and cash support to the voters, on Tuesday he slammed some political parties (read NPP and BJP).
“I have seen political parties promising Rs 5,000 per family and Rs 1,000 a month. All these are meant to corrupt the voters and win elections, not on merit but by buying votes,” Lyngdoh said without taking the name of any party.
Opposing the pernicious practice, he said the UDP would ensure that its manifesto has a fine balance of all-round development.
“Our manifesto would also highlight equally on important issues concerning the state,” Lyngdoh, who will contest the elections from the West Shillong seat, said, adding the manifesto is at the drafting stage.
Talking about his poll prospects, he claimed he had fulfilled his promises in the past many elections.
“I have been in the Assembly for three terms and was a part of four Cabinets. I am confident of sailing through considering my experience and leadership qualities,” the UDP working president claimed.
He said people would go for “quality” this time around after having seen the alleged failure of the incumbent MLA. The focus of people will be on the best candidate available, he said.
Taking a pot shot at sitting MLA and NPP candidate Mohendro Rapsang, Lyngdoh recalled that former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma had laid the foundation stone of a medical college in 2017 with Rapsang as the candidate of the Congress in the seat in the last elections and the project was shifted to New Shillong.
“The over Rs 400 core project has been shifted from West Shillong to New Shillong. This speaks for itself,” he said.
Attacking the sitting MLA, he said he had heard and seen people carrying pressure cookers all around the constituency. This only shows the MLA is feeling the pressure of electoral politics, Lyngdoh added.
“He (MLA) is distributing his pressure to the voters through the gift of pressure cookers,” the UDP leader quipped.
Explaining the case of UDP he said the party is fighting to rise to power on its own.
“Our goal, focus and point of concentration are to get an absolute majority. We are committed to that vision. Hence, the question of post-poll alliance doesn’t arise,” Lyngdoh said.
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong had recently said the UDP would be reduced to only two MLAs after the polls. Reacting to the statement, Lyngdoh said everybody is entitled to his or her own opinion.
“This is the view of the Deputy CM. Our views are diametrically opposed to that view. We will stick to our calculation that we will go past 30,” the UDP working president asserted.
On whether the Inner Line Permit (ILP) will figure in the party manifesto, he said the ILP has been already endorsed by the state Assembly.
“The resolution adopted by Assembly has been already forwarded to the Centre and the Parliament. The ILP is no longer an issue to be debated. It is only to be implemented,” Lyngdoh said.
