Staff Reporter
SHILLONG:
Veteran politician Bindo Lanong, who was denied the United Democratic Party (UDP) ticket to contest the upcoming polls from the Nongkrem constituency, on January 20 blamed the intrusion of businessmen into the party.
Speaking to reporters, he said, “Some businessmen in the UDP are not only responsible for denying me the party ticket but they have spoiled the party.”
Giving a categorical answer, he said the people involved in denying him a ticket are UDP president (Metbah Lyngdoh), the general secretary (Jemino Mawthoh) and one or two on the committee.
A follower of former UDP chief minister late BB Lyngdoh, he recalled that the philosophy of late Lyngdoh is to not encourage business people to enter politics but the government to support them.
Terming the allotment of party ticket as a controversial issue, he said that the ticket was allotted to Lambor Malngiang following the survey report of 3-4 leaders of the UDP.
An irritated Lanong said that the UDP leaders who opposed him are sure to lose the upcoming elections.
“That will prove them wrong, results will prove them wrong. I think the people will not forgive them anymore. Two or three leaders of the UDP are already finished and they have no chance of winning. Two and three leaders, who are involved in the ticket allotment scam, are already finished.”
He observed that UDP is facing leadership issues and said that the current leadership are all their juniors.
“From day one they were in favour of Lambor Malngiang,” Lanong said. He added that his team met the UDP leaders also, only to be told that the people of Nongkrem are in favour of Malngiang for allotment of party ticket.
Criticising Malngiang for changing parties, Lanong said, “There were many factors that the ticket went in favour of a person who was never in the UDP, he was with the KHNAM (Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement), he was with the Congress in 2018, he won as an independent MLA.”
He further said that he chose to contest from Nongkrem constituency as the UDP did not put up a candidate in 2018.
He said that quite a number of businessmen have come into UDP – Umsning and Nongkrem and others.
“They cannot handle their own home, the UDP, how will they take care of the state and most of them are not qualified,” he said.
Also Watch: Lanong denied UDP ticket, blames intrusion of businessmen into party