LS By-election
SHILLONG, July 12: The Regional Democratic Alliance (RDA) has been pushed into a state of functional paralysis following the HSPDP’s decision to withdraw support for UDP candidate Vivanstone G Kharngapkynta. The move leaves the state’s primary regional front fractured ahead of the Shillong parliamentary by-election.
UDP general secretary Titosstarwell Chyne claimed the party was “taken by surprise” by the development, despite weeks of dragging consultations over a common electoral strategy. While Chyne maintained that no official communication has been received from the HSPDP leadership, the junior ally’s public declaration of neutrality has effectively turned the RDA into a social club rather than a functional political alliance.
At the heart of the rift is the battle over identity, specifically the choice of election symbols. Fearing it would be overshadowed by the UDP, the HSPDP had insisted on contesting under its own “Lion” symbol. When the UDP proceeded with its own nominee, the HSPDP opted to stay out of the contest entirely rather than campaign under the UDP’s “Drum.” “We waited to announce our candidate because negotiations were still under way,” Chyne admitted, acknowledging the friction that had been building behind the scenes.
While Chyne argued that the RDA remains “intact” because both parties may still cooperate on broader issues, the alliance has failed its primary electoral test. By refusing to issue a directive to its supporters, the HSPDP has left its vote bank in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills up for grabs.
This division in the regional camp historically hands a significant advantage to national parties or the NPP. With the HSPDP focused on protecting its “organisational identity” and the UDP left to campaign alone, the arithmetic of the Shillong seat has been fundamentally altered.
The UDP leadership now faces the challenge of deliberating how—or if—the RDA can continue to function as a credible political force in the future.
