SHILLONG, Jan 18: As the conundrum over the United Democratic Party’s candidature from Nongkrem constituency has come to an end with the party hand-picking one of its newest members, Lambor Malngiang, over one of the founding members of the party, Bindo M Lanong, to contest the upcoming Assembly elections, the UDP has now defended as well as justified its decision, apparently so as to avert any possible fissure in the future.
According to the UDP, the decision was collective and well-thought-out.
“This is a decision taken collectively by the party, and time and again we have said and reiterated that this is not a decision of the other president or the secretary; this is a decision of the election committee comprising party leaders,” UDP general secretary Jemino Mawthoh said.
“It is a big group and whatever decision has been taken is the wisdom of the state election committee because we have to think about the winnability factor,” he asserted.
It may be mentioned that Malngiang was on Wednesday formally inducted into the UDP.
Arguing that sometimes selection of candidates can be a herculean task, Mawthoh informed that they had conducted a ground survey at the constituency level to solicit the views and opinions of the people, so as to understand the position of the aspiring candidates.
“After the report, the state election commission sat, deliberated and took the final decision,” he added.
It is pertinent to note that earlier in October 2022, Lanong, while speaking to The Shillong Times, had predicted that the UDP will give project Malngiang and not him from Nongkrem constituency in the upcoming Assembly elections.
Lanong had also asserted that he would, come what may, contest the Assembly elections from Nongkrem constituency — even if as an Independent.
It was after this, the Meghalaya Trinamool Congress had opened its gates for Lanong.
“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 had 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,” Lyngdoh had said.
