‘UDP may soon be left with one MLA ** Leadership was always on denial mode’
Shillong, Sept 25: Signalling worse still awaits the United Democratic Party (UDP), its leader and former minister Paul Lyngdoh has warned that the regional party – reduced from 12 to four – could soon be left with one.
In the wake of the eight UDP legislators formally shifting sides to the BJP on Thursday, Lyngdoh lamented that the UDP’s implosion was “inevitable” as its leadership was living in denial.
The West Shillong MLA said he was not surprised by the mass exodus from UDP and that he had started consulting his supporters on his next move.
“I have spoken many times inside the party that there is a lot of dissatisfaction with the way the party functions. What is sad is that the party leadership is in denial mode, they simply deny and say there is nothing wrong,” he told reporters on Friday.
Pointing out the rapid decline, he said, “Under the current president’s leadership in three years, the party which had 12 out of 36 seats in Khasi-Jaintia sector is left with four and from those four also, the signs indicate that it may come down to just one.”
He said the exodus from UDP may not be over yet, saying, “The signs indicate that there are MLAs who will go to other parties.”
Internal sabotage had crippled the party’s ideology, he said.
“Those who push forward that ideology should first push one goal… If instead of pushing one goal, they tackle their own teammates, then it won’t work,” he said.
Asked any chance of his switching to the BJP, Lyngdoh said, “I am at the stage where we are consulting and seeking opinions from the supporters of UDP West Shillong constituency because the party may be left with only one or two MLAs… we have to take a stand on how we will move forward.”
Asked if he will stay, he said consultations are on with all leading functionaries and it will take time.”
“This was bound to happen. For one year now we have seen the signs of the rift. Whenever we give advice, they say why do you bring up such a topic,” he said.
