Will give full support to NPP till end of term: UDP Chief

Shillong, July 8: United Democratic Party (UDP) president Metbah Lyngdoh on Monday said his party will continue to support the National People’s Party (NPP)-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government till the end of the term.

At the same, Lyngdoh also reiterated that the Regional Democratic Alliance (RDA), an alliance of the UDP and the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP), is still very much intact.

Speaking to journalists, the UDP president said he was surprised over reports alleging that his party will pull out of the MDA government.

“But nevertheless whatever statement I am giving today, I am giving on behalf of the party and that is final. As far as UDP is concerned, there is no discussion as such with regards to pulling out. We will remain with the government as of now and there is no such kind of talk and discussion within the party,” he said.

According to him, things discussed within the party are internal matters of the party. He also refuted the allegation that the poor performance in the last Lok Sabha elections was because of UDP working together with the NPP. In fact, people were happy with the UDP’s performance MDA-I government and rewarded the party with 12 MLAs in 2023.

“Now, from 2018 to 2023, we were working together with the NPP, we were working together with BJP, HSPDP and we were under the banner of the MDA-I. In 2018, the party secured 8 seats in entire MLA elections and in 2023, the people have voted for us and rewarded us with 12 seats. I can say that people were happy and were satisfied with our performance and that’s why they have rewarded us with 12 seats,” he said.

Referring to the UDP’s attempt to form a non-NPP government after 2023 Assembly polls, Lyngdoh said, “We could not form the government and thereafter, CM requested us to join the government. So after we discussed within the party and among the MLAs, well wishers and supporters, we were asked to go ahead – so we went ahead and join the MDA-2. We joined because we believe that in 2023 they have rewarded us with more numbers than the 2018 elections because of our good performance that time so we thought and we believe also that we will continue to work together in the MDA-2, which we will work very hard.”

He said that the UDP will stick with the MDA government till the end of the five-year term.

The UDP chief, however, was tight-lipped when asked if there will be any reshuffle of the two cabinet berths among the 12 MLAs of the party. He said, “I have nothing to say as of now (on cabinet reshuffling).”

Asked, Lyngdoh said that the people have assured to support the party in the upcoming MDC and MLA elections.

“In this one month gap, I have met good number of people from my constituency and I have asked them also what went wrong in this MP election and some of them admitted that this MP election, because nobody came to us and ask us to vote for UDP so on our own, we decide to vote for others but MDC and MLA elections, we will be with you. That was the message we got from the people but we have to go to the depth of the matter and hopefully we will get all the response,” he said.

Meanwhile, UDP chief also reiterated that the RDA is very much intact and that there is no problem in the relationship between the UDP and the HSPDP. He was reacting to the recent statement made by the UDP working president Paul Lyngdoh that the HSPDP is likely to pull out of the RDA following the defeat in the MP elections.

“So whatever has appeared is not correct. I have not seen such kind of comment from the HSPDP as far as that mistrust between the two parties and from UDP; we have nothing as such to blame the HSPDP for the defeat of our candidate, who was agreed upon by both the parties,” Lyngdoh said.

He further said that the party will seek clarification from the working president of the party on the matter, adding there is no infighting within the party.