Meghalaya: Outcome of Shella bypoll will not affect MDA govt; partners will remain intact: PDF

SHILLONG:

People's Democratic Front (PDF) working president, Banteidor Lyngdoh asserted that the outcome of the bye-election in Shella Assembly constituency scheduled to be held in October 21 will not affect the MDA government even as he stated the coalition partners will remain intact.

"The MDA coalition partners will remain intact whether the UDP or PDF or BJP win the bye election," Lyngdoh, who is also the Cabinet Minister in the National People's Party (NPP) led MDA Government, told reporters after the 2nd General Council meeting of the party which was held here on Saturday.

It may be mentioned that the National People's Party (NPP) and Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP) have not put up their candidates for the polls while the BJP and People's Democratic Front (PDF) have turned down the UDP's appeal by deciding to join the fray.

ALSO READ | Meghalaya to hold first ever 'Green Election' for Shella bypoll

Meanwhile, PDF working president also justified the decision of the party to set up candidate for the  bye election despite the appeal of the United Democratic Party (UDP) to back up it's candidate, Balajied Kupar Synrem.

"There was no agreement as such that the MDA partners will not put up candidate for the bye-election. We had not made any commitment that we will not put any candidate for the bye-election," he said.

On the NPP decision to positively respond to the appeal of the UDP, he said that the NPP might have taken the decision to back the UDP candidate since party president and Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma had stated in the State funeral of late Dr Donkupar Roy held Sohra that the party will not put up candidate for the bye-election in respect of late former Assembly Speaker. Lyngdoh, however, maintained that the party has a huge respect for late Dr Roy.

ALSO WATCH:

Meanwhile, he said that they have taken the decision to contest election is as per the wishes of the party workers and supporters in Shella constituency. "The other reason for contesting election is because the party is confident to win since in the 2018 Assembly elections, party candidate, Leston Wanswett lost by a margin of only 376. We know that the 6000 plus voters who had voted for Wanswett are still intact," the PDF working president said.

Stating that the party candidate and younger of Wanswett, Mosjo Rockfeller Wanswett is not a new face since he was actively involved in all the three elections contested by his elder brother.

"We are confident that the people of Shella this time round will give the family of Wanswett an opportunity to present the constituency as their MLA," Lyngdoh said.

It may be mentioned that the party on Saturday also felicitated it's lone MDC from Umsning, Macdalyne S. Mawlong.