By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 20: Cabinet minister and UDP working president, Paul Lyngdoh on Friday said there is a lot of speculation about the UDP’s likely candidate for the autonomous district council polls and Lok Sabha elections, but no one would be portrayed as a potential candidate until the nomination filing process has begun.
The significance of the UDP working president’s comments is underscored by the swelling number of party leaders who have been positioning themselves either directly or indirectly as the party’s likely candidate for the next Lok Sabha and ADC elections.
“At this time, anyone can indicate interest, but once the nomination filing process gets under way, we will take someone into consideration as a possible candidate. We won’t know till then,” Lyngdoh said.
“There are many candidates and prominent politicians who would like to run on the UDP ticket. A lot of kite flying is going on right now, and a lot of names are being thrown around, but it’s too early to tell whether those named will actually come forward and apply for the party ticket or not,” he said.
The UDP working president also announced that several of the core committee members were out of town, therefore the meeting to discuss the ADC and Lok Sabha polls was postponed.
He disclosed that the party’s next important gathering will take place following the Puja vacations.
When asked whether the VPP posed a threat to the party, he responded, “Look at the number we have — 12 MLAs. VPP has four. Just figure out the arithmetic…”
“We anticipate that the UDP will maintain its leading position in the Lok Sabha elections, as it has historically done,” he signed off.