Shillong, Nov 5: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Wednesday lamented that the United Democratic Party (UDP) had withdrawn its support to the MDA Government following 11 of its legislators left the party to join BJP (8) and NPP (3).
“Yes, to be very frank I am. This is not something that we chose or should happen,” Sangma said when asked about his response to UDP chief Metbah Lyngdoh’s decision to withdraw the support.
He, however, said, “Politics is not always about what we want to do, there are circumstances and sometimes you have to take decisions.”
Asserting that the NPP had never asked UDP to withdraw support, he said, “I have a very special connection with the leaders of UDP. We had wished they would still be with us. We never said or asked them to withdraw. It was a decision they took at their level.”
Sangma explained that after a large number of MLAs left, cabinet berths could not be justified, leading to Lyngdoh’s resignation and the party’s withdrawal.
“Whether it is resignation from the cabinet or withdrawal of support, it has been the UDP’s decision. It is not something I as NPP president asked them to do. So obviously it is not comfortable and not something I would have wanted,” he said.
He added that he hopes engagement will continue despite political differences.
“I hope at personal level and political level we continue to engage. We will always keep the people in front and work together, even though we may not be on the same board, our purpose is the same,” Sangma said.
