UDP forms panel over Assembly poll alliance

FROM A CORRESPONDENT
SHILLONG, Aug 31: The United Democratic Party (UDP) has formed a committee which will weigh the option of aligning with like-minded parties for the 2018 Assembly elections. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday after the party’s central executive committee (CEC), UDP general secretary Jemino Mawthoh said that the party was not averse to aligning with other like-minded parties. “The special committee will be consulting with such parties. The committee will also work on the modalities for such an alliance,” Mawthoh said. The UDP however, did not spell out whether it would go for a pre-poll or post-poll alliance. “It depends on the reciprocity of other parties,” he added. Apart from Mawthoh, other members of the “special committee” are UDP working presidents Bindo M Lanong and Paul Lyngdoh, and UDP leaders Moonlight Pariat, B.G. Momin and L.C. Momin. Meanwhile, the UDP has also formed a State Election Committee which will select candidates for the 2018 elections. According to Mawthoh the intention of the party is to speed up the process of selection of candidates. The UDP general secretary said that the State Election Committee will be looking at various factors before handing the party ticket to any candidate. “We will not be stressing only on the winbility factor of the candidate, but also on quality,” Mawthoh added.