NPP still have a good number to run govt: Titos
Shillong, Nov 3: The UDP has decided to withdraw support to the Conrad K Sangma-led MDA-II government on Tuesday, putting an end to nearly three-year association with the ruling alliance.
The decision was taken unanimously at the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting following the resignation of UDP president Metbah Lyngdoh as Cabinet Minister on Saturday.
UDP general secretary Titosstarwell Chyne said Lyngdoh informed the CEC about his resignation during Tuesday’s meeting.
“The president has informed the CEC that he has resigned as Cabinet Minister and submitted his resignation to the Chief Minister on Saturday,” Chyne said.
He said the party felt there was no reason to continue supporting the government after its president and lone legislator stepped down from the Cabinet.
“Once the president and lone MLA, as a minister, has resigned, the CEC feels it will be better that we withdraw from the government,” he said.
Chyne said the CEC had also urged Lyngdoh to formally withdraw the party’s support, which was extended to the MDA-II government in 2023 following an invitation from Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma.
He, however, ruled out any pressure behind Lyngdoh’s decision to resign.
“There was no pressure. The president, on his own will and after consultation with party leaders, took the decision to submit his resignation last Saturday,” Chyne said.
Pointing to the UDP’s reduced strength in the ruling alliance, Chyne said the party, which once had 12 MLAs in the coalition, now had only one representative in the government.
He maintained that the NPP-led government would have sufficient numbers to continue in office without the UDP.
“Even the NPP alone has 36 MLAs, and with the support of 11 MLAs and HSPDP, they have a good number to run the government,” he said.
With its exit from the government, the UDP will now focus on rebuilding the organisation, particularly in constituencies where it has no representation in the Assembly or the district council.
Chyne said the move would also give Lyngdoh, the party’s lone MLA, more time to reorganise and strengthen the party.
Party denotifies GHADC candidates’ list
The UDP CEC also decided to denotify the list of candidates it had announced for the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections in view of the proposed delimitation of constituencies.
Chyne said the party had announced its candidates last year, but the election had been postponed twice. The latest postponement was accompanied by an announcement that the constituencies would be delimited.
He said the proposed exercise would involve rearranging villages among constituencies, making the earlier list of candidates redundant.
“After delimitation, there will be rearranging of villages falling under the constituencies. So we are saying that the list of candidates which we have announced, we will denotify it,” Chyne said.
