SHILLONG: Joining the ILP chorus, the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) has demanded the state government to implement ILP.
Addressing reporters here on Friday, the HSPDP general secretary Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar said, “We are totally against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. The agenda to implement the ILP is included in the manifesto of the party.”
The party which celebrated 50 years of its journey last year has two representatives in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly-Tongkhar and Samlin Malngiang. The HSPDP is an ally of the NPP led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government.
“If the HSPDP leads the government, we will implement ILP. There will be no excuse if we are in the majority,” Tongkhar said.
With the government unmoved to the demand for implementation of ILP, the HSPDP MLA admitted to making adjustments in a coalition government and agreed to the common minimum programme.
Commenting on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, he said, “We are concerned as the influx is mainly from Bangladesh. But we will also not accept people from Afghanistan and Pakistan.”
However, according to Tongkhar, the people from Afghanistan and Pakistan are not a major threat to the people of the state as much as people from Bangladesh since Meghalaya shares border with it.
Council polls
Unlike its Regional Democratic Alliance (RDA) ally, UDP which has gone ahead and declared candidates till the seventh list, the HSPDP has released only the first list with 10 candidates.
“We want to win as many seats as possible in the council elections. We are encouraging local leadership to emerge from the party and the tickets will be given to the candidate who we have high hope,” he said.
Asked about Ardent Basaiawmoit’s resignation, Tongkhar refused to comment and said it was up to him to take any decision.
