By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 10: The United Democratic Party (UDP), which has established itself as the second largest party in the state with 12 MLAs, is confident of a superlative performance in the Lok Sabha polls due next year.
The party, which enjoys a position of strength in Khasi-Jaintia Hills with a large number of MLAs and MDCs, is hoping to send an MP to Parliament next year.
“If we are able to put up a good candidate we will be able to sail through in the Lok Sabha elections,” UDP general secretary Jemino Mawthoh said on Sunday.
Recalling that the UDP was able to garner a significant vote share of 34% in the last Assembly elections, Mawthoh said, “With 12 MLAs and 17 MDCs we are a force to reckon with.”
Informing that the party is yet to decide on its candidate for the elections, he said, “UDP is going to sit soon and discuss about the Lok Sabha elections. Since we are together in the RDA, we might hold discussions with the HSPDP.”
Asked if a common RDA candidate was a possibility, Mawthoh resisted giving a direct response and said: “Common means we will work in tandem with the same purpose, same objective, and same concern.”
When it was pointed out that NPP has opted to go solo and not field a common candidate with the UDP for the Shillong seat, he said, “I have nothing to say about other parties because all parties will have their own way of thinking.”
Party ready for
district council polls
The UDP is banking on its performance and ability to provide stability to mobilise support for the elections to the KHADC and JHADC early next year.
The party has been a formidable force at the district council level and is wary of the challenge from a new regional outfit, the Voice of the People Party (VPP).
Mawthoh said the party has started preparing for the KHADC and JHADC polls. “On September 6, we had a meeting with the MLAs, MDCs, and party leaders of the Khasi Hills and another with those of the Jaintia Hills earlier,” he said.
Asserting that the UDP has provided stability in both KHADC and JHADC, he said the party was able to hold the executive committee for the last four years and managed to pass important bills on land, clan, waste management, and building bylaws.
It was unfortunate that the UDP was dislodged from the KHADC this year, he added. “The KHADC executive committee has had an unstable past, lasting from three months to a year or two. But we lasted more than four years, meaning UDP proved its ability to lead,” Mawthoh said.
He chose not to think much about the emergence of the VPP on the political landscape. “We are not discounting or disrespecting other regional parties but prefer to focus on our strengths and move forward aggressively,” he said.
The VPP has been hopeful about occupying the regional space in Meghalaya. Its president, Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit, called for throwing out the older regional parties “hand in glove” with the ruling National People’s Party (NPP).
“We have a good grassroots connection and our base in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills is stronger than the NPP,” he said, insisting the party believes in performing and making less noise, unlike the others.