Senior figure in the United Democratic Party (UDP), Allantry F Dkhar, has maintained that the ongoing war of words that the party has faced by its ally in government, the National People’s Party, is just politicking.
The two sides are currently campaigning against each other for the Sohiong Assembly constituency seat, the deferred election for which will take place on May 10. The UDP is hoping to wrest Sohiong from the grasp of the NPP.
Yesterday, NPP spokesperson and MDC, Bajop Pyngrope, said that the UDP will be removed from the governing alliance following the election.
“UDP has been saying that it may cause a change in the government after the poll results but I am making it clear that NPP is ready to make UDP to sit in the opposition bench after May 13 (the day the results are declared),” Pyngrope said on the trail. Even without the UDP, the NPP-led MDA would have the numbers in the Assembly to continue to run the government.
However, Dkhar expressed surprise at this aggressive posturing, telling Highland Post, “I have no idea why the NPP is saying things against us because I have never heard any statement coming from UDP leaders stating that we will bring down the MDA 2 government after the poll results.”
He added that the NPP may have run out of meaningful things to say while campaigning. “My take is that this is just part of politicking to influence the people of Sohiong to vote for them (NPP) but I believe the people of Sohiong know better,” Dkhar stated.
Far from thinking about overthrowing the MDA, the UDP, if victorious, will likely only focus on strengthening its own position within the coalition as well as use the win as momentum for next year’s district council polls.
When asked if an NPP victory in Sohiong will really threaten the UDP’s position in the government, especially with speculation that the People’s Democratic Front is close to merging with the NPP, Dkhar said that in politics any party should be prepared for any kind of situation.
He concluded that the UDP will not sink to the level of using threats or lies to dupe the voters but it believes in the sacred mandate of the people.
