By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 11: While the bugle for district council polls has hardly been sounded, political realignment in Khasi Hills has begun to manifest. The regional alliance of UDP and HSPDP, called the Regional Democratic Alliance (RDA) is going to be the first casualty.
The RDA constituents announced on Wednesday their decision to contest the upcoming elections to the KHADC and JHADC independently.
Speaking to reporters after a crucial meeting of the alliance, RDA chairman and UDP president Metbah Lyngdoh said that the two parties would not contest the district council elections, scheduled for early next year, under the RDA banner.
“Both parties will field candidates separately in all constituencies as there is no pre-poll alliance or understanding between them,” Lyngdoh stated.
He explained that the decision was made after careful deliberation, considering the sentiments of party workers at the constituency level.
Lyngdoh emphasised that the decision did not indicate any discord between the UDP and HSPDP.
“There are no differences or conflicts between the two parties. This was a unanimous decision made by the leadership of both parties,” he said, adding that the RDA as an alliance will continue to exist.
He further noted that the alliance spirit would remain intact, and the decision to contest separately applied only to the upcoming district council elections.
“The two parties will continue to jointly address important and critical issues affecting the state,” Lyngdoh affirmed.
HSPDP president and RDA secretary KP Pangniang echoed Lyngdoh’s sentiments, stating that the two parties had contested three elections together since the formation of the RDA in 2017. “We have decided to contest separately in the upcoming district council polls in the best interest of both parties,” he said.
Pangniang reiterated the alliance’s commitment to raising key issues, including resolving the long-pending inter-state boundary dispute with Assam and advocating for the inclusion of the Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
Meanwhile, Lyngdoh said that the UDP would announce its first list of candidates for both the KHADC and JHADC during its general council meeting on Friday.
Similarly, Pangniang revealed that the HSPDP would release its first list of candidates before Christmas.
