United Democratic Party (UDP) hopeful of regional parties becoming one Entity

Staff Correspondent

SHILLONG: The United Democratic Party (UDP), notwithstanding its earlier stalled endeavour to unite the other regional parties into one entity, is hopeful that regional political parties with similar aspirations will come together by 2023.

The UDP, HSPDP and PDF under the Regional Democratic Alliance are in the same conglomerate in the NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) Government. While working together with the NPP and the BJP to keep the Congress at bay, the trio (UDP, HSPDP, PDF) have projected and named their own candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha poll.

The Sentinel asked UDP general secretary Jemino Mawthoh on the united but divided stances ahead of the Lok Sabha poll. He said, “I have spoken to the HSPDP leader to be practical and realistic when we have to take on the national parties.”

“Look at the vote shares of the regional parties. The national parties are nowhere,” Mawthoh stated, even as he added that there are parties with their own legacy but propounding the cause should come in a united front and not by alliance.

Mawthoh further said that the attempts to get all the regional parties are a gradual process that would eventually see the light of the day by 2023.

HSPDP president KP Pangniang did not make any references to the unification move due to the party’s preparations for district council elections. However, he was apt in saying that the HSPDP has projected its candidate but the discussion will be steadfast on how the Regional Democratic Alliance (RDA) to ensure the common candidate victory.

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