The Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) is still put out by the defection of Samlin Malngiang to the National People’s Party (NPP) but hopes to retain the Sohiong seat for the party through its replacement candidate.
Sohiong will have its Assembly election on May 10. It had been deferred due to the death of United Democratic Party (UDP) candidate HDR Lyngdoh a week before the February 27 state election.
Malngiang had won in 2018 on an HSPDP ticket but left it for the NPP this year.
Speaking to Highland Post yesterday, HSPDP president KP Pangniang, said that the betrayal of Malngiang has left little time for the party to prepare for the poll.
“The incumbent MLA left the party at the last moment, so it was not easy for us to face the election even though we have strong party principles and a vote bank,” Pangniang said. “We have a good candidate in Sandondor Ryntathiang, so it will all depend on the public’s mandate.”
There was a great tumult in terms of defections before the elections but most of those who ran on different party tickets found themselves rejected by the voters. These include almost all the Congress turncoats who left it for the Trinamool Congress, NPP and UDP and both of the People’s Democratic Front MLAs who quit in favour of the NPP. However, Malngiang will be hoping to follow his former HSPDP colleague, Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar, who defected to the UDP and still retained the Mawkyrwat seat.
Stating that no one can deny that the HSPDP has produced many leaders and legislators from Sohiong constituency who have contributed to its growth, Pangniang said, “If people understand this they should vote for Ryntathiang and not give their vote to the betrayer.”
“Who paved the opportunity for Samlin to become a legislator?” he continued. “Was it not the HSPDP?”
