Staff Reporter
SHILLONG:
The United Democratic Party (UDP) has said that the party has not yet discussed if it will go ahead with the alliance with the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP).
It may be mentioned that prior to the 2018 election the UDP and the HSPDP formed a pre-poll alliance — the Regional Democratic Alliance (RDA).
The UDP won six seats and the HSPDP two.
“So far we are together in the RDA. Whether to continue or not in the 2023 assembly polls will be discussed,” UDP general secretary Jemino Mawthoh said.
It may be mentioned that there were reports that the UDP and the HSPDP will part ways prior to the upcoming elections.
“Take it from me as the general secretary of the UDP, we have not discussed the issue,” Mawthoh said.
However, there are reports that the UDP wants to go it alone in the coming polls since it believes that the HSPDP will be a liability.
The HSPDP’s popularity is said to have been on the wane ever since the demise of its supremo Hopingstone Lyngdoh in 2015. There are also reports that the two HSPDP legislators – Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar and Samlin Malgniang — may not contest again from the party.