Shillong, Sept 11: One of the oldest regional political parties in the state, the United Democratic Party (UDP) got its new president with the election of senior party MLA, Metbah Lyngdoh to the post.

Lyngdoh, who was first chosen by 34 members of the UDP’s nomination committee which comprised of district presidents and secretaries, president and secretary of frontal wings and six senior party members, was declared elected at the general council of the party held at the residence of former UDP president, late Donkupar Roy here on Wednesday evening.

Lyngdoh, who won for the third consecutive time since 2008 from Mairang Assembly constituency, is the third president of the party who also became the successor of the late Donkupar.

The first president of the UDP was former chief minister late E.K Mawlong (1997 -2004) followed by late Donkupar from 2004 till his death on July 28 this year.

The names of senior most party leader and former deputy chief minister, Bindo M Lanong and former minister, Paul Lyngdoh also figured as the contenders for the post during the discussion among members of the nomination committee.

Lanong was chosen as the chief adviser while Paul Lyngdoh continued as working president, and Jemino Mawthoh as general secretary.

“I thanked all leaders and members of the party for choosing me as well as the general council for endorsing my name to take up this post. I was not expecting that such a big responsibility would come on my shoulder, but with humility I accepted it,” Lyngdoh told reporters.

On the party’s agendas set by the new president, Lyngdoh said that the first and foremost thing he would do as president before drawing a line for the party, is to take all senior party leaders and stakeholders into confident to set agendas for the party which should be in the interest of the people of the state.

“Issues come and go. There are issues that can be solved, and there are pending ones which could not be solved till now also. We have to continue working for solution,” he said.

Lyngdoh is also the chairman of the Regional Democratic Alliance, a combine fore of the UDP and Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP).

On his role to ensure unanimity among the party MLAs, Lyngdoh said, “I did not see different minds or differences. As of now I can assure you that we have such wonderful members within the UDP and RDA too.”

On the call for unification of regional parties, Lyngdoh said that the party would continue to make a call for unification of regional parties. “As has been set by our late president, I am also of the same mind and we are still working towards it. I call friends from other regional parties to be a part of the unified regional force.”

On UDP members jumping to the BJP in the Jaiñtia Hills Autonomous District Council, the new UDP chief said that they have taken a decision, which nobody can stop.

“Even legislators also may take such a decision, and sometimes they resigned and contested from another party. The tenth schedule of the constitution is not applicable in district councils in the state, and the members are free to move anywhere. But people from the constituencies they represent, are the best one to say whether the members have done the right or wrong thing,” Lyngdoh said.