SHILLONG:
Former deputy chief minister Bindo M Lanong on Monday reiterated that the United Democratic Party (UDP) has a very “bleak prospect” as it will not even get 10 seats in the upcoming assembly elections, to be held on February 27.
The chief adviser to the UDP filed his nomination as Independent candidate from Nongkrem constituency after he was denied ticket by his party. The UDP had decided to allot the ticket to the sitting legislator of Nongkrem, Lambor Malngiang.
Lanong told reporters that it was “wishful thinking” on the part of the UDP to claim that the chief minister will be from the party.
“I had earlier said they would not even cross 10. So the question of a UDP CM is a pipe dream,” he said.
Stating that he is an original UDP, Lanong however said that he is contesting as independent as he was deprived of his rights after business people came into politics.
“This is what our forefathers like BB Lyngdoh said, no business people should be encouraged to join politics. It proved true this time when a businessman has come to UDP as president of the party, everything has changed,” he said adding “I have no scam in my life, I have contributed a lot for the development of the state and the people and I am ignored and the ticket has been allotted to a person who is not even in the UDP, who has never been in the UDP before. So everyone is shocked.”
When asked about his party wanting him to contest from East Shillong, Lanong said, “Anybody who says that let them go and try. I don’t know why they didn’t even have a candidate after I left. Well, I have nothing to do with the UDP as of now. I have a candidate as of now if I want to but how can I propose or work for that constituency to have a UDP candidate. I am ignored. I am not in UDP anymore. It is not that I left the UDP but I am thrown out.”
“However, many UDP members are not happy and are shocked but they can’t express it as long as the election is not over,” he said. The veteran leader also reiterated that he will return to the UDP after the elections are over.
Expressing confidence to win the Nongkrem seat, Lanong said that he has been going to the constituency for the last one year.
He also assured to change the lives of the farmers and economy of the constituency if elected as MLA.