Political leaders should speak on issues, not spew venom at each other: UDP

SHILLONG, April 14: With the Lok Sabha election less than a week away, the United Democratic Party (UDP) has maintained that political leaders from Meghalaya should speak on issues rather than spewing venom at each other.
“We should not do away with the cordiality that we have been able to maintain over the years right from the time when we were recognised as a state because if we succumb ourselves to the current ongoing trend, there will come a time the monocracy will replace democracy and this does not augur well with the future generation,” said UDP vice president, Allantry F Dkhar.
The UDP vice president’s remarks came while referring to a recent meeting of all the political parties with the Chief Electoral Officer on certain incidents that happened during election meetings and the recent killings in Ichamati and Mawlai Mawroh.
“It is up to us, as responsible political leaders, to maintain decorum and also lead the way in showing the future generations that as cultured human beings and indigenous society, we should be the living example for the rest of the country as well as the world,” he said.
Talking about the killing of labourer in Mawroh, he said, “15-day period has been given to the police to come up with the action plan, and more than that should not be said as it may hamper the investigation.”
Meanwhile, UDP general secretary, Jemino Mawthoh, said, “We cannot say about other political parties but we have restrained all our members from making such comments or remarks.”
Referring to the ongoing political slugfest, he said, “It is very unfortunate these incidents are happening, especially now when  we are campaigning for the Lok Sabha election.”
“Things are becoming very nasty. You look at the reactions and remarks made on social media. Look at the disruptions in the meetings in various places; it is highly unbecoming of a cultured society like us,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mawthoh also exuded confidence, saying if the Regional Democratic Alliance (RDA) manages to maintain the vote share it received during the 2023 Assembly election, the Shillong Lok Sabha seat is theirs for the taking.
“If we look at the vote share we got last time, 2,90,000, and combine with the HSPDP’s 66,000, the total comes to 3,65,000…then our candidate will sail through if those numbers are retained,” said Mawthoh.