The central executive committee of the United Democratic Party (UDP) met today to discuss the party’s preparedness for the upcoming autonomous district council polls in Khasi and Jaintia Hills (KHADC and JHADC).
Both district councils are due for elections but their terms have been extended as the constituency seats are being redrawn.
The CEC also considered the matter of the Gambegre Assembly seat by-election but decided to leave this to party leaders from Garo Hills, where the UDP has a minimal presence.
Speaking to reporters following the meeting, UDP president and Mairang MLA Metbah Lyngdoh said that, though the KHADC and JHADC election dates have not yet been announced, the party felt that it should be ready as soon as they are intimated.
“We have urged the party to prepare for the MDC polls at the district, the constituency level and also to identify candidates over and above those sitting MDCs who will be contesting,” Lyngdoh said.
The CEC also assessed the performance of the party in this year’s Lok Sabha election, where its candidate Robertjune Kharjahrin polled a distant fourth place with less than 5 percent of the vote in the Shillong seat.
The UDP president does not foresee that this poor result portends disaster for the party in the upcoming district council elections. “It depends on us to give the party ticket to the best candidate and we will bring to the public the work we did and the issues we have taken up,” Lyngdoh said.
