UDP open for alliance with like-minded parties

From A Correspondent

SHILLONG, April 17: The opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) on Monday said that it is open for alliance with like-minded political parties to take on the ruling Congress party in the state.

“The party is open for an alliance with like-minded parties to prevent the Congress from retaining power in Meghalaya,” UDP president, Dr Donkupar Roy told media persons on Monday after the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the party.

Informing that talks are also on with leaders of other regiol parties for stitching a grand alliance, the former Chief Minister, however, exuded confidence that there will be a non-Congress government in Meghalaya after the assembly elections.

“After the elections there should be an alliance of all non-Congress like-minded parties to form   a government in the state,” the UDP president who is also the leader of the opposition said.

Meanwhile, on Meghalaya Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma’s outburst against the UDP for aligning with the BJP in the state,  Dr Roy said, “There are similarities between the two parties (UDP and BJP) and both these parties want corruption-free government and development in Meghalaya.” It may be mentioned that last week, Dr Sangma questioned if the UDP was subscribing to the agenda of the BJP.

The Chief Minister had stated that the UDP referred to the BJP as like-minded parties. “It means they have the same agenda like the BJP. That means they are camouflaging themselves as regiol party, while their whole agenda is common with that of the BJP,” Sangma said.

The CEC of the largest regiol party of the state also decided to form the State Election Committee specifically for the 2018 assembly polls. Monday’s meeting also decided to recommend the mes of all the sitting MLAs as candidates for the 2018 assembly polls.

However, the party has set a deadline of May 31, for those MLAs who no longer wants to contest from the UDP. According to the party, by putting such a deadline, it wants to avoid hassles just before the elections.

“During the last election one of our party legislators informed us that he did not want to contest from the UDP anymore at the last moment. Putting us in a dilemma,” Dr Roy said.