The United Democratic Party (UDP) is desperately searching around for a face for the upcoming state election, due by March 2023, after its sitting MLA, Eugeneson Lyngdoh, has made it clear that he is not interested in contesting again.
Eugene’s father, SK Sunn, won the seat in 2018 as an independent but was gravitating towards the UDP, even becoming an associate member before he died of Covid-19 in 2021. Eugene, his famous footballer son, stepped in and won the byelection on a UDP ticket handsomely but is not keen on continuing on in politics.
That has left the party in a bit of a fix. One of those it has looked towards as a replacement, Auspicious Lyngdoh Mawphlang, informed reporters today that the UDP had approached him but, as he is a founder member of the People’s Democratic Front (PDF), he is unwilling, though he added that the UDP’s constituency party is not 100 percent behind him.
The party’s general secretary said that as he has been canvassing as a PDF candidate already, it would be difficult to suddenly jump ship into the arms of the UDP now.
“I told them that I am a leader of the PDF and it would not be easy on my part to take such a step,” he said.
Even Eugene had tried to get him to contest on a UDP ticket, Lyngdoh Mawphlang said, adding that if the star former footballer does not stand, it is likely that many of his supporters will decamp for the PDF.
