UDP candidate raps HSPDP chief knuckles

FROM A CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG, Nov 15: A United Democratic Party (UDP) candidate on Wednesday criticised Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) president Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit over a statement that latter had made recently. Incidentally, both UDP and HSPDP have formed an alliance for the 2018 Assembly elections.

Earlier this week, Basaiawmoit had likened fielding of candidates by both the alliance partners in the open seats to a football match.

Without ming the HSPDP president, UDP candidate from North Shillong constituency Joe Marwein said the comparison of the electoral battle between the alliance partners (UDP-HSPDP) to a football match was like using the electorate of the constituency as a ball to be played around.

“I won’t accept such a comparison. This also shows his irresponsibility towards this constituency,” Marwein said.

While comparing the fielding of candidates by both the alliance partners in the open seats to a football match, Basaiawmoit had said on Monday that both the parties will however not commit foul on each other during contest.

The HSPDP president was reacting to a statement of Khun Hynniewtrep tiol Awakening Movement (KHM) leader and candidate from North Shillong Adelbert Nongrum that the fielding of candidates by both the UDP and the HSPDP was aimed at defeating him.

Reacting to this particular statement made by Nongrum, the UDP candidate from North Shillong said that he joined the party (UDP) in October 2016 with the aim of contesting the election.

Giving reason for his ibility to withdraw from the contest, Marwein said that a month before the pre-poll alliance was announced earlier this year, the HSPDP also jumped into the fray in the constituency raising questions among the electorate.

“On my part, I want to make it clear why I will go ahead to contest the polls. The first is that I made my intentions clear that I will contest the election since last year even before the understanding for a pre poll alliance. For this reason, I will not surrender to be a sacrificial lamb,” Marwein said. Marwein also said that the KHM did not want to join the pre-poll alliance of the regiol parties even though the UDP leaders had offered them the opportunity. “Had the KHM been together (in the alliance), I would have given it a thought (of not contesting),” Marwein said.