SHILLONG, Aug 12: Former Assembly Speaker Metbah Lyngdoh was on Saturday re-elected as the president of the UDP, which is now keen on taking a more robust stand on the demand for implementation of Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Meghalaya.
The UDP, which is a part of the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) in the state, has decided to sit together with Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and formulate a strategy to make the Centre implement the ILP in the state.
Over the past few years, there have been several occasions when state government delegations went to New Delhi and met central leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, to inquire about the Centre’s stand on ILP. However, these delegations were sent back every time with the mere assurance that the demand will be examined.
UDP president Metbah Lyngdoh on Saturday said the matter will be discussed with the CM to devise a way to prod the Centre fulfil the demand.
In the past five years, Sangma met Modi and Shah multiple times and raised the ILP demand but the Centre is yet to make its position clear. Recently, the PM assured a ministerial delegation from the state, which was led by Sangma, that he would examine the demand.
Meanwhile, during a press conference on Saturday, the leaders of the UDP spoke about the unification of regional parties. They said the UDP has already approached all parties, including VPP, and their offer still stands.
Jemino Mawthoh said the UDP is still open to the idea of unification of regional parties in the state.
“The effort is on. We are trying to ensure that the regionalism approach is still in place. We are still together as part of the Regional Democratic Alliance (RDA). We will meet again and discuss the issues concerning the indigenous people,” he said.
The RDA was formed in 2017 by the HSPDP, UDP and Garo National Council (GNC).
UDP president Metbah said the UDP has not yet discussed the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
He said the party’s general council ended successfully and the party received reports about its activities from across the state.
“I believe whatever responsibilities were entrusted to us, we made efforts to take the party forward,” Lyngdoh said.
He said he is happy with the party’s overall performance and expects it to perform even better. The party’s Core Committee will meet shortly to discuss how to move forward for the MDC elections, he said.
Asked about the recent political development in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) where the NPP ousted the UDP from the Executive Committee, Lyngdoh said the matter is being discussed.
Lamenting over the absence of anti-defection law, he said the UDP expects that many changes will take place in the KHADC after the amendment to the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
Jemino Mawthoh was re-elected general secretary, while Cabinet Minister Paul Lyngdoh, Titos Chyne, Nujorki Sungoh, Lahkmen Rymbui, Donbok Khymdeit, Rikman Sangma, LC Momin and Renikton Tongkhar were elected as working presidents.
Allantry F Dkhar, Process T Sawkmie, Shitlang Pale and Mayralborn Syiem were elected vice-presidents.
