UDP working on right formula for roster

SHILLONG, May 24: The UDP is in the process of examining and holding deliberations on the roster system to come up with suggestions for the state government.
UDP chief Metbah Lyngdoh, after attending an all-party meeting on the roster system, had earlier said the issue needs more discussion.
“We have been discussing this time again. Just a few days ago, we had a discussion of party leaders, MLAs, and MDCs and we are still open to input so that this matter can be resolved without affecting anybody,” UDP general secretary Jemino Mawthoh said on Wednesday.
The discussions, he said, are necessary for arriving at a non-discriminatory formula acceptable to all people in the reserved categories in Meghalaya. “We hope that by coming together and respecting each other’s opinion, all stakeholders, political parties, NGOs, and church leaders will come out with something acceptable,” he added.
The UDP has been maintaining that the roster system should be prospective and without any ambiguity.
Meanwhile, speaking about the second phase of the chief minister-level border talks which got underway in Guwahati on Wednesday, Mawthoh said there will be loopholes and hiccups along the way but the state government should not be deterred.
“We are always positive and feel that if sincere efforts are made, we may stumble into something that can be very difficult but that should not deter the government from moving forward and trying to resolve the matter,” he said.
“I believe that dialogue and deliberations will ultimately help by taking all stakeholders into consideration,” he added.
Reminded of resentment over the first phase of the border-solving process, he said: “You cannot stop just because you have some problems here and there because. There will be some hiccups in the process of settling a long-pending issue.”
Mawthoh said both the Assam and Meghalaya governments need to be proactive in resolving the dispute and accommodate the views of different stakeholders, especially the border residents.