Staff Reporter
SHILLONG:
The Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP), on August 3, said that it’s almost official that the party’s Mawkyrwat legislator Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar is leaving the party ahead of the 2023 assembly polls.
“As of now, he (Tongkhar) is an HSPDP MLA but not a candidate of the party in the upcoming polls. Let’s say it is official (he will leave the party) since we have already declared our candidate from Mawkyrwat,” said Panbor Ryntathiang, general secretary of the party.
Ryntathiang also informed that the party has already announced its candidate from Mawkyrwat, and he is Medalsing Lyngdoh.
The HSPDP leader was reacting to speculations doing the rounds that Tongkhar and Samlin Malngiang are leaving the party ahead of the 2023 polls. Tongkhar represents the Mawkyrwat constituency and Malngiang is a Sohiong legislator. Both are the two only HSPDP MLAs in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.
As for the party approaching Malngiang to clear the air about him jumping the ship, Ryntathiang said that the party has assigned its vice-president and senior politician Martle Mukhim to meet him and discuss the issue.
Stating that Malngiang is currently maintaining a low profile, Ryntathiang said, “We are trying to meet him but unfortunately, we have been unable to. That is why, we have requested our Mukhim to meet him personally and know his views and opinions whether he will be contesting from the party or otherwise. We will only come to know once the vice-president meets him.”
Responding to media reports that Malngiang is set to join the National People’s Party (NPP), party president K P Pangniang said that it is the choice of the individual concerned and the party has nothing to do with such a decision.
Addressing the issue of poaching by other parties within the NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA), Pangniang said that remaining party members stand by the principles of the party which was established in 1968.
Undaunted that MLAs are leaving the party, Pangniang said that the MLAs may leave the party but there will be newcomers who will take the mission of the party forward.
“The party will remain; it will be re-organised and we will rebuild the party, as HSPDP is one of the oldest parties in the state,” he said.
Ryntathing said that the Regional Democratic Alliance (RDA), which was forged with the United Democratic Party and the Garo National Council in 2017, will not be affected till the end of the term but the party will have to think whether to maintain the alliance or go in different directions.
Pangniang said, “The spirit to maintain the alliance time and again, is the primary objective of the party but to unify or to bring all together under one flag, still needs time. The question of whether to pull or not to pull out of the RDA does not arise.”