By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 15: The fact that the Lok Sabha elections are happening soon after the Assembly elections earlier this year is an encouraging sign for the UDP. Recent polling data indicates that voters in the Khasi-Jaintia Hill region still largely support regional parties, and that the state’s largest regional party has the potential to become a powerful force in the right conditions, UDP leader Paul Lyngdoh said on Friday.
“The electorate in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills appears to favour regional parties, based on trends seen in the most recent Assembly elections. A significant portion of voters supported the regional parties, as evidenced by the UDP’s 12 seats, the VPP’s four, the HSPDP’s two, and the PDF’s two,” he said.
Lyngdoh was responding to the narrative that national parties usually have an edge over the regional ones in the parliamentary polls.
He remarked, “In the case of the UDP, you have 12 sitting MLAs working for the party’s victory.
Aside from that, we have successfully formed an alliance with the HSPDP, which currently has two MLAs in the Assembly; thus, we are a formidable force.”
Additionally, there will be the candidate’s charisma, personal appeal, and overall quality. The electorate will undoubtedly take all of these into consideration before casting their ballots, he continued.
When asked about the reason behind the delay in revealing the candidate’s name, at least for the Shillong seat, Lyngdoh responded that the UDP supports the development of more leaders and their empowerment, implying that the party’s choice of an MP candidate for the Shillong seat may go in that direction.
“I support group leadership and responsibility sharing.” In response to his decision to withdraw from the Lok Sabha contest in order to give a new candidate an opportunity, he stated, “The more leaders that we are able to produce and empower the better it will be for the state.”
The UDP has not yet announced the name of its candidate for the Shillong seat, but party insiders have suggested that many leaders support Robert June Kharjahrin, the former president of the HYC, a claim the party has refuted.
