By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Aug 24: Signalling its intent to reclaim ground in the Garo Hills, the UDP has announced preparations for the upcoming GHADC polls, banking on its historical presence in the region and the encouraging response it claims to have received despite past setbacks.
UDP general secretary and Leader of the Opposition in the KHADC, Titosstarwell Chyne, recalled that the party had fielded a sizeable number of candidates in the previous council elections, though it failed to secure a win.
“Last time also we contested a good number of seats, and though we could not win even a single one, the response was good. We still have a strong presence in Garo Hills,” he said.
Chyne emphasised that the UDP’s roots in the Garo Hills trace back to the era of the APHLC and HPU, underscoring that its identity as a state party remains intact.
Responding to questions on why parties from the Khasi-Jaintia Hills have struggled to make inroads in Garo Hills, he said, “UDP is a state party right from the time of the APHLC and HPU. We had MLAs and MDCs, and this will continue.
Maybe there were some problems in between, but as a party we are working to sort them out.”
On the question of alliances, Chyne remained non-committal.
“At present, we have not thought about it,” he remarked.
He informed that the UDP’s central executive committee had entrusted its Garo Hills leaders with the task of assessing the ground situation and recommending the number of seats the party should contest.
“In our recent CEC meeting, leaders from Garo Hills were entrusted with the groundwork. They will decide how many seats we should contest, but we are sure that we will. It depends on their inputs,” he said.