SHILLONG:
The United Democratic Party (UDP) will go for wide consultation with all stakeholders of the party before finalising the names of the candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the state election committee (SEC) chaired by UDP chief Metbah Lyngdoh on Monday.
“We are already initiating the process and there will be a wide consultation before we arrive at any decision. The consultation is to zero in on the probable candidates,” UDP vice-president Allantry F Dkhar said after the meeting.
He said the consultation will be held immediately through the district presidents and secretaries with the elected members and workers of the party.
“The district presidents are given a week’s time to complete the exercise and to report back to the SEC,” Dkhar said while adding, “After receiving the feedback, the SEC will make a final assessment after which we will be able to go into further consultations under the banner of the Regional Democratic Alliance (RDA).”
The UDP and the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) have announced their decision as RDA to jointly prepare for the Lok Sabha polls.
The UDP will be contesting both the Shillong and Tura parliamentary seats.
Dkhar, however, refused to disclose the names of the ticket aspirants for the Shillong seat and said, “About four have expressed their interest to contest but we have not disclosed their names as it is important to keep their names confidential till we get the feedback.”
Former HYC president Robertjune Kharjahrin had recently joined the UDP and offered his candidacy for the Shillong seat. The other aspirants include president of the Khasi Authors’ Society (KAS) Dr DRL Nonglait and former Mawlai legislator PT Sawkmie.
UDP working president and Cabinet minister Paul Lyngdoh has maintained a clear stand that he was never in the race for the ticket.
