REGIONAL PARTIES TO FORM GOVERNMENT IN MEGHALAYA: UDP CHIEF

The United Democratic Party (UDP) in Meghalaya has exuded confidence that regional outfits would form the next government in the state. People in Meghalaya had enough of the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is yet to gain ground in the state, a senior UDP leader said. Meghalaya is set to go to polls on 27 February and the results will be announced on 3 March. “We are forming the next government and there is no doubt about it. We are leaving no stone unturned to cross the magic number 31 in the 60-member House,” UDP working president Paul Lyngdoh said.

The Congress, which is in power in Meghalaya for about 15 years, is facing anti-incumbency problem while the BJP is struggling to win the hearts of people here, Lyngdoh said. The UDP had secured the second spot with 8 seats in the 2013 assembly election. The Congress that bagged 29 seats in the polls had formed government with the support of 13 independents and two NCP MLAs.

This time, the UDP has forged pre-poll alliances with regional parties Hills State Peoples Democratic Party (HSPDP) and Garo National Council(GNC). Although the UDP happens to be a constituent of North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), led by the BJP, Lyngdoh feels it NEDA a political platform for the development of North East and not pre-poll alliances. He said that the UDP-HSPDP combine would field candidates in at least 36 seats in the Khasi Jaintia Hills region with an agreed seat-sharing formula.