Shillong, July 17: The United Democratic Party (UDP) on Monday slammed Deputy Chief Minister, Roytre C. Laloo for claiming that he lost in two elections when he had to face a straight contest.

“Saying that he (Laloo) would have no chance in a one-to-one fight in 2018 is just a political tactic to fool the people of Jowai constituency,” UDP secretary in-charge West and East Jaintia Hills, Kitboklang Nongtdu said here.

Last week, Laloo who is a Congress sitting legislator from Jowai constituency, said that he has a slim chance to win if there is a straight contest, while recalling that he had lost twice in a straight fight in 1998 and 2003 Assembly elections.

The veteran leader expressed confidence that he would win again from Jowai in the forthcoming 2018 Assembly election as there would be more than two candidates in the fray.

Countering Laloo’s claim, Nongtdu however, reminded that there has not been a single occasion where there was a straight contest in Jowai constituency.

“In fact in both these elections, there was triangular fight in the constituency. In 1998, Roy had contested against former MLA Sing Mulieh and Naren Talang while in 2003, he contested against Sing Mulieh, Phidalia Toi and Dr Philomath Passah,” Nongtdu clarified.