SHILLONG: People’s Democratic Front (PDF) MLA Hamlet Dohling said on Wednesday the exodus of four district council members would not affect the party.
“You cannot underestimate PDF… The exit of the four MDCs, or who knows may be more, we have nothing to say on that, but as a party we prefer quality over quantity,” Dohling, who is also a minister in the coalition government, told reporters.
The PDF leader blamed the absence of anti-defection law for frequent shift of allegiance. “There has been misunderstanding among MDCs and their frequent shift of allegiance from one party to the other. If they (MDCs) feel like, they can either go left or right. That has led to insecurity among many parties and not only PDF,” he said, adding, “It is not good at all. There is no stringent law… The MDCs tend to leave the party if they are offended at minor issues.”
On the four MDCs – Latiplang Kharkongor, Grace Kharpuri, Blanding Warjri and James Sylliang, who tendered their resignation on Tuesday – Dohling said the party cannot force anyone to stay if they do not want to be in the party. “They are free to take any decision.”
According to him, going by disciplinary grounds, the MDCs should have been expelled but the party does not want to take any harsh action as it will affect the MDCs’ reputation as public representatives.
Common candidate row
With talks of common candidate doing the rounds, Dohling said the idea should be discussed at the coordination committee of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance.
“We want to understand what is a common candidate?. It is only the coordination committee where we can discuss who is the candidate to fill the Shillong seat,” he added.
Referring to the UDP’s offer to project its candidate, he said, “If that is what the UDP says, then we have to support UDP candidate. There is no common candidate as such.”
