'Congress not an angel; we too are playing politics'

FROM OUR STAFF CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG, Oct 14: The United Democratic Party (UDP) is weaving its political web in between the ongoing fiasco that plaque in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC). This was admitted by the UDP working president Paul Lyngdoh during an interview with The Sentinel on Wednesday.

The UDP is a hard core critic of the Mukul Sangma led Congress Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA) government in and outside the State Legislative Assembly. But the party has extended its support to the Executive Committee (EC) of PN Syiem who is leading the ruling Congress led People’s Democratic Forum (PDF) in the KHADC. The present CEM and two time sitting Congress MLA is a vocal critic of the Chief Minister for his alleged arbitrary decision.

Taking cue from the ongoing tussle within the Congress party, the UDP unconditiolly extended its support to PN Syiem led Executive Committee.

Asked specifically on the alleged dual standards of the UDP at the State and the District Council, the UDP working president stated, “The party decided to support an individual CEM and not against the Congress party.”

“Irrespective of the CEM and the component of his executive committee, our party wanted to extend the support to a man who wanted to maintain the autonomy of the district councils,” stated Lyngdoh while referring to the support as a move to force upon the deterrence to the bills passed by the KHADC.

When asked a question pertaining to the UDP act of trying to fish in trouble waters especially when the two-time Congress MLA and CEM of KHADC is virtually in loggerheads with the Chief Minister, the UDP working president shot back, “Do you think the Congress party is not playing politics? Do you think they are angels?”

“Our decision is based on the prevailing situations and future decisions will be taken accordingly,” Lyngdoh stated with a chord that this is another political move to take on the Mukul Sangma government.

On being asked, how will the party explain to the people in the event of bye-polls to the seats vacated by the elected representatives from his party, Lyngdoh said, “We will deal with the situation when it arise.”

Two of the UDP MDCs have to forfeit their seat to keep the MLA chair intact after an act that bar the holding of dual post came into effect on October 1.