A REPORTER
SHILLONG: The working president of People's Democratic Front (PDF), Banteidor Lyngdoh has asserted that the MDA (Meghalaya Democratic Alliance) coalition partners will remain intact whatever the outcome of the bye-election in Shella Assembly constituency to be held in October 21.
"The MDA coalition partners will remain together irrespective of whether the UDP or the PDF or the BJP wins the bye elections," said Lyngdoh who is also the Cabinet Minister in the National People's Party (NPP)-led MDA Government.
Neither the NPP nor the HSPDP (Hill State People’s Democratic Party) have put up their candidates for the bye-polls. However, the BJP and the PDF (People’s Democratic Front) have decided to join the fray.
Meanwhile, the PDF working president also justified the decision of his party to put up its candidate for the bye-election despite the appeal of the UDP to back its candidate, Balajied Kupar Synrem.
"There was no agreement to the effect that the MDA partners will not put up their candidate for the bye-election. We did not make any commitment that we will not put any candidate for the bye-election," he added.
When pointed out that the NPP had positively responded to the appeal of the UDP, he said that the NPP might have taken the decision to back the UDP candidate since the party president and Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma had stated in the late Dr Donkupar Roy's State funeral at Sohra that the party will not put up its candidate for the bye-election as a mark of respect to the late former Assembly Speaker. Lyngdoh however maintained that the party also has a huge respect for late Dr Roy.
Meanwhile, he said that they have taken the decision to contest election as per the wishes of the party workers and supporters in Shella constituency. "The other reason for contesting the bye-election is because the party is confident of winning the seat. Moreover during the 2018 Assembly polls, party candidate Leston Wanswett lost by a margin of only 376 votes. We know that the 6,000-plus electorates who had voted for Wanswett are still with us," the PDF working president said.
Stating that the party candidate and younger brother of Wanswett -- Mosjo Rockfeller Wanswett -- is not a new face since he has been actively involved in all the three elections contested by his elder brother.
"We are confident that the people of Shella this time round will give the family of Leston Wanswett an opportunity to represent the constituency as their MLA," Lyngdoh said.
It may be mentioned that the party also felicitated its lone MDC from Umsning, Macdalyne S. Mawlong.