UDP rejects pressure to skip poll, fields veteran lawyer Vivanstone Kharngapkynta for Shillong seat

SHILLONG, MAY 28: The United Democratic Party (UDP) on Thursday formally declared senior advocate Vivanstone G Kharngapkynta as its candidate for the Shillong Lok Sabha byelection, ending weeks of speculation over its choice for the seat.

Announcing the decision at the general meeting of the party, UDP president Metbah Lyngdoh said, “I feel it is right for me to announce the name of Vivanstone G Kharngapkynta as candidate of the party.”

He added that the candidature was finalised after extensive internal consultations.

“I am delighted to inform supporters of the UDP and voters of the Shillong parliamentary seat that after lengthy deliberation and discussion, we have unanimously decided to approve the name of Vivanstone G Kharngapkynta as the official candidate of the party,” Lyngdoh said.

Kharngapkynta, a veteran lawyer with nearly three decades of association with the District Council, will now lead the UDP’s campaign for the byelection.

Expressing confidence ahead of the byelection, Lyngdoh said the party’s support base has surged from 44,000 votes in the 2024 Lok Sabha election to 1.45 lakh in the recent District Council polls.

“After the 2024 MP election, the result we got was very bitter and disheartening for us as a party,” Lyngdoh said.

He said the tide turned during the Council elections. “Yet as soon as the MDC election came, we won in five constituencies in the KHADC, we won three constituencies in the JHADC, we came second in four to five constituencies in KHADC, and in JHADC we came second in about 5-6 constituencies by 5,000–6,000 votes or more.”

“That means the return of our supporters — from 44,000 in the 2024 MP election — has gone up to 1.45 lakh votes across both District Councils falling under the Shillong parliamentary constituency,” he added.

Lyngdoh said there had been pressure on the party to stay out of the byelection, but cadres across Khasi-Jaintia Hills pushed for a contest.

“There were those who said that for this byelection we should not field a candidate anymore. There were suggestions here and there to instead support just anyone,” he said.

“For two months now I have been getting phone calls from all constituencies across Khasi-Jaintia Hills that we must put up our own candidate,” Lyngdoh said.

He questioned the logic of sitting out. “I first asked myself the question: on polling day, as president of the party, whom will I vote for if we cannot put up an official candidate of the UDP? That is the question.”

On Kharngapkynta’s candidature, Lyngdoh said it reflected “mutual” willingness. “We are extremely happy that the name we are announcing today is not just the wish of Bah Vivan or of the UDP — it is mutual. There is a very close understanding and willingness from both sides, because if only the candidate is willing and the party is not or the party is willing and the candidate is not, it will lead nowhere.”

He described the veteran lawyer as “one of the senior lawyers of the party” who served as special counsel to the District Council for 30 years. “In politics, this is the first time he will enter and contest an election,” Lyngdoh noted.

Recalling his own entry into electoral politics, he said, “In 2007–08, I was chosen by the Mairang constituency to join the UDP, and on December 2 they gave me a ticket to contest the election. I did not know anything about speaking in politics, but I won the election.”

Outlining the party’s agenda, Lyngdoh said, “What we will look at is indigenous people first. This will be our first agenda.”

He added that the UDP’s goals include “good governance — to give fair and equitable administration in all aspects” and “sustainable development for the progress of the state.”

“I firmly believe that the people of the constituency for which we are fielding a candidate in the MP election will understand the difference in our candidate,” he said.

On Kharngapkynta’s role in Delhi if elected, Lyngdoh said, “As a legal advocate, he will go to Delhi. But he will not go just to argue on one subject. There are many subjects that have to be spoken on concerning our culture and tradition, and various other diverse matters, because he is a person with vast experience when it comes to the law.”