The United Democratic Party (UDP) will prioritise Meghalaya’s claims to ensure that the state does not lose an inch of its territory to Assam in the ongoing border negotiations, the party’s working president, Paul Lyngdoh, has said.
“Meghalaya has to ensure that it does not lose a single inch of land and this will be a priority in the UDP government that it will lead after five months (by when the state elections must be held),” Lyngdoh said, adding that such negotiations will always have merits and demerits.
An agreement to conclude the first phase of the talks was signed earlier this year, to great frustration, anger and even a feeling of betrayal by many residents who wished to be part of Meghalaya but have now found their land given away to Assam.
Despite Lyngdoh’s words, there has been little in the way of criticism of the deal from the UDP’s MLAs.
Meanwhile, Lyngdoh, the Jaiaw MDC, reiterated what party president and Speaker of the Assembly Metbah Lyngdoh said yesterday, that the UDP will win half of the seats in the upcoming state elections and will thus be able to form a government on its own.
“The indications are very obvious that there is a pro-UDP wave in the state. The national parties are divided and there are no other regional parties that exist today that have leadership and teamwork like the UDP has. This is not my opinion but a fact accepted by the public that it is only the UDP that is well placed to lead Meghalaya,” Paul Lyngdoh told a few reporters yesterday.
The UDP, however, should remain cautious. The party was expecting a surge of support in 2013 after it had been in the coalition government headed by the Congress but went on to lose support. It then hoped for another surge in 2018 only to see the National People’s Party (NPP) take centre stage. Even Lyngdoh lost his West Shillong seat in those elections.
When asked about the various issues that the UDP has not been able to raise in the current coalition government, he said, “Politics is determined by numbers and today we lack the numbers that will be able to allow the UDP to have a final word on any matter.”
Even without the UDP, the NPP would still be able to rule with the other coalition allies.
“If we are to change the course of politics in the state, the UDP should be in the driver’s seat and you will see the difference,” Lyngdoh said.
