Shillong, Oct 22: National People’s Party (NPP) leader and Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong said that the proposal of the United Democratic Party (UDP) on fielding a ‘common candidate’ for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls from Shillong constituency has been proposed only through the media and there was nothing officially so far.

“We have seen this only through the media but there was nothing official as yet,” Tynsong told reporters here on Monday.

The NPP leader said that if there was such a proposal, the matter could have been discussed by all partners at the MDA Coordination Committee in which the Chief Minister, Conrad K. Sangma is the Chairman.

Whether there is a threat to the stability of the MDA government if the proposal of the UDP to have a common candidate is not accepted, Tynsong said, “the proposal has not been received officially. The issue is yet to be discussed by all MDA partners and the question of threat does not arise.”

The UDP wanted to field its candidate as the common candidates of the MDA from both Tura Lok Sabha seat and Shillong Lok Sabha seat in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections next year.

While NPP candidate should be the common candidate of the MDA from Tura Lok Sabha seat, the UDP nominee should be the common candidate of the MDA from Shillong constituency.

Earlier UDP senior leader, Bindo M. Lanong had said, “lack of understanding among the MDA partners may affect and bring instability in the MDA government. I feel we have a better chance to win both the seats (Shillong and Tura) if we have common candidates.”

“Our proposal is that, the NPP should set up its candidate from Tura, and supports the UDP from Shillong,” Lanong had said.

Lanong said that Central Executive Committee of the UDP had accepted two former legislators of the party – Jemino Mawthoh and Paul Lyngdoh as aspirants for party ticket from the Shillong Lok Sabha constituency.

The UDP has fixed October 31 as the date for finalizing an official candidate of the party from among the two.