SHILLONG: Working president of UDP, Paul Lyngdoh maintained that it is up to the functionaries and supporters of UDP to strengthen the party and called for strengthening regionalism.
Speaking on the occasion to welcome Antonio War to the party on Saturday, while rooting for regional forces, he said regional parties give regional flavour and regionalism has become an important political concept.
“We have seen the downslide of regionalism in Meghalaya. It should awaken in us the sense of identity that we belong to this place and we should be moulding our own destiny,” he said.
In a regional force, he said there is scope for democracy, for discussion, debate and exchange of ideas and opinions which is something very difficult in a national party.
He also downplayed the talks on the waning influence of the party which won only six seats in the Assembly elections of 2018 by pointing out that BJP in the general elections in 1984 won only two Lok Sabha seats. But the party later went on to win many seats under various leaders, he said.
Terming War as the latest convert to UDP, Lyngdoh said, “In politics we say, those who leave us are turncoats but those who join us are converts.”
On a lighter note, when Lyngdoh was informed by War that the latter arrived early to the programme, Lyngdoh said, “Usually the marriage party comes first while the Pastor comes later,” which evoked laughter from the audience.
