SHILLONG:
Expressing concern over alleged attempts by big political parties to “swallow up” small parties, the PDF’s acting president Banteidor Lyngdoh, on July 19, said that he was approached by the National People’s Party (NPP) to join the latter, but he had “politely” refused.
“Yes, they (NPP) approached me in a good way. They requested if I can join the NPP but I made it clear to them that I had won from PDF and will continue to be with the party. I have made it clear to the chief minister and deputy chief minister that I cannot join the NPP and I will continue to remain with the PDF. How can we quit the party without any concrete reasons?” he said.
He further said that if the current political scenario in the state is anything to go by, shifting of political allegiance ahead of the 2023 assembly polls to other parties will be “political suicide”.
Addressing rumours that three out of the four legislators of the party – Hamletson Dohling (Mylliem), Jason S Mawlong (Umsning) and Gavin Miquel Mylliem (Sohra) – are seeking to contest the 2023 polls on other political parties’ tickets, Lyngdoh, on July 19, said that he is unaware of any such development but reminded the said MLAs that being first-timers they had won the 2018 polls on a PDF ticket and they shouldn’t forget that.
“However, if they are ungrateful (to the PDF), it depends on them. But looking at the current political scenario in the state, I am scared what if switching to other parties turns out to be a political suicide,” he warned.
He also said it won’t be easy to make people vote for them if they represent a different party, since the electorate voted for them by pressing on the candle, the PDF’s symbol.
“If you say we need to change party and our symbol, I am afraid that will affect the prospect and will turn out to be a political suicide and you will regret that later,” Lyngdoh said, stating that the party is reaching out to its legislators to discuss the matter.
Stating that there has been not a single allegation leveled against the PDF so far, Lyngdoh said that the party has been taken up various issues concerning the state with the chief minister, adding, “Till today no one has got a chance to blame us as we are committed to serve the people of the state.”
Lyngdoh also informed that the party will announce its candidates in August. “We will announce the list of candidates for a few seats and I am being counted as one amongst the candidates for 2023,” he said, adding that the party will not field candidates in all 60 states as it believes in quality over quantity.
“We are committed towards strengthening the party to ensure we increase the number of seats in 2023,” Lyngdoh added.