NPP-UDP on collision over reservation issue

SHILLONG, May 28: The thorny job reservation policy is not only creating problems on the streets for MDA but it also has begun to cast its shadow among the coalition partners.
If the portents are anything to go by, NPP is getting singled out in the brewing political turbulence in the state capital.
The apparent fissure owes it to the stand of its major coalition partner UDP which has been openly backing the stand of the VPP much to the chagrin of NPP.
With Chief Minister Conrad Sangma camping in Delhi for the better part of the past week, NPP has been uncomfortably weathering the storm.
Observers believe that chances are that it might spiral into a political crisis if it goes unaddressed for too long.
Sources said that NPP is going to hold a meeting on May 30 to discuss the prevailing issues and will also discuss the stand of the UDP on the issue.
Sources said that the government is firm in its stand that there will be no discussion on the reservation policy and if UDP persists, chances are that it might lead to their exit from the coalition.
After the PDF’s merger, the tally of the NPP rose to 28 in the 60-member Assembly. The UDP has 12 MLAs. Although the UDP is a part of the MDA, some NPP leaders had earlier hinted at a political change after the declaration of the results of Sohiong polls.
It may be mentioned that it is not the first time that the relationship between the two parties has become strained.
Earlier during the run-up to the Assembly elections, the fissure within was getting widened by the day. The root cause was NPP’s clever use of government schemes to enhance its own prospects much to the discomfiture and chagrin of other coalition partners like UDP, PDF, BJP and NCP.
UDP was bitter about NPP’s blatant misuse of government schemes in constituencies where there are already UDP candidates and termed the act of its coalition partner as “manipulative and disrespectful”.
In the recently ended Sohiong polls, NPP’s spokesperson Banjop Pyngrope had stated that the UDP will be asked to sit in the opposition after the declaration of the election results for the Sohiong seat on May 13.
This was, however, rubbished off after the results were out.
Nonetheless, if the problem persists and UDP with 12 MLAs is ousted, the NPP-led MDA coalition will still stand strong with a combination of NPP 28, BJP 2, HSPDP 2, and independents 2; with a total strength of 34 in the house of 60.