Meghalaya United Democratic Party Analyses Causes For Jemino Mawthoh’s Defeat

Staff Correspondent

Shillong: The United Democratic Party (UDP) held a review meeting here on Friday to analyze the defeat of its Lok Sabha candidate Jemino Mawthoh who was supported by all the constituents of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA). With the margin of defeat being 1,52,000, the central executive Committee (CEC) of the party felt that the opponent pushed the message in the minds of the electorates that the UDP is an ally of the BJP which is hell-bent to implement the CAB.

“The UDP also fells that money power, the cow slaughter issue and religious conversion cost us the polls,” stated the UDP working president Bindo M Lanong after the meeting.

Negating the notion that the coalition partners of the ruling dispensation have not been working hard to ensure the common candidate victory, Lanong stated, “The review meeting decried all opinions of betrayal by the regional partners. We have rubbished all such narratives because there was total sincerity from everyone involved in the campaign.” The MDA candidate who lost the election was supported by the NPP, HSPDP, PDF, UDP and a couple of sitting independent legislators.

The UDP working president said that the party has received the feedback from all the districts to ascertain the cause of the defeat. Moreover, the UDP has set itself to reorganize the party. The general executive council (GEC) of the party has been scheduled on September 11 and the district units have been asked to reorganize and re-elect their respective office bearers.

Lanong’s stiff warning: UDP working president Bindo Lanong categorically cautioned the electorates that “We will be a sinking ship if we do not change our electoral mindset.” His annoyance during the press briefing in Shillong was evident. He said, “If the people don’t rechristen their thoughts process, we are on a sinking ship.”

The utterance assumes significance in view of the setback the party received in the recent parliamentary polls in spite of the increase in poll percentage.

Also Read: United Democratic Party blames Congress for defeat in the Shillong Lok Sabha seat