SHILLONG:
United Democratic Party (UDP) leader Titosstarwell Chyne, on November 29, said that the disassociation of Independent Baghmara legislator Samuel Sangma from the party will not affect the prospect of the regional party in Garo Hills region.
“As of now the party is preparing itself to contest from the Garo Hills region. We have also identified nine to ten candidates. Maybe by the time we declare their names it will exceed his number,” Chyne said.
He said that Sangma had won the 2018 polls as an independent candidate, and later joined the party as an associate member.
Sangma resigned as associate member of the UDP on November 28. Sangma will contest the 2023 assembly polls from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
On the demand for resignation of the Home Minister and UDP legislator Lahkmen Rymbui from several quarters and also from within the party, the party’s East Khasi Hills district president said that in incidents such as these there are always demands for the Home Minister’s resignation.
Chyne informed that the party had a discussion on the matter and expressed concern over the incident.
He said that the UDP has entrusted the president and the Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to do what is the best.
“Maybe the Chief Minister who is heading the government will thoroughly study the matter and decide if the Home Minister should be dropped,” Chyne said.
The UDP leader also said that personally he won’t be able to say if he has to resign or not from the cabinet.
“I think since he is in-charge of the Home Department he will understand better. If he thinks that he is wrong, he will not have any problem stepping down. But if he feels that it is not, he who failed he won’t quit,” he said.
Meanwhile, the East Khasi Hill district president of the UDP also informed that the party has not yet fixed the date for announcement of the party candidates for the 2023 assembly polls.
It may be mentioned that Rymbui is facing the heat to quit not only from other political parties but from within his party too.
The national secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Rituraj Sinha had asked Rymbui to resign on November 28.
“The way the police are managed in Meghalaya with everything centred around Shillong and not adequate support for the people in the interior areas I think it is time for the Home Minister to take some responsibility he should resign because he has been unable to discharge his duties,” Sinha had said.
UDP working president Paul Lyngdoh on November 23 demanded the home minister Lahkmen Rymbui to immediately step down from his position as he has allegedly failed to protect the lives of the people of the state.
“He (Lahkmen Rymbui) should take moral responsibility by immediately stepping down as the home minister as he has failed to protect the people of the state,” Paul Lyngdoh had told reporters last week.
“The president has not instructed us as of now. I think by the first week of December the names will be finalised,” he said.
It may be mentioned that the first list of candidates was supposed to be announced on November 22.
However it was postponed due to the death of six persons after Assam police killed villagers of Mukroh in West Jaintia Hills district.
Chyne also informed that as of now the sitting MLAs and Members of District Councils will be given the party ticket for the 2023 assembly polls.