UDP likely to meet next week to discuss on new President

Shillong Today
UDP submit its 8 observations on reservation policy to Lyngdoh-led panel

Shillong, Aug 1: A meeting of the United Democratic Party (UDP) is likely to be held next week to discuss on the need to entrust one among the party leaders to occupy the post of party president in place of late Dr Donkupar Roy Dkhar who passed away on July 28.

The meeting may also discuss with the six MLAs of the party on the need to send one of its MLAs for the Assembly Speaker’s post.

On Thursday, UDP working president and Minister, Metbah Lyngdoh said that by next week, the party should meet to discuss the matter related to the post of president in the party.

Late Dr Donkupar has been the president of the UDP since 2003 till he breathed his last.

Dr Donkupar was also the Speaker of the State Assembly from March 12, 2018.

The UDP has at present Bindo M Lanong as the senior most leader, besides young leaders like Paul Lyngdoh, Jemino Mawthoh and few others.

Lyngdoh said that it was a fact that from the beginning, the UDP under the leadership of late Dr Donkupar had agreed to take the Speaker’s post, and the chief minister’s post should go to the National People’s Party (NPP) during the formation of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government.

On the UDP likely to face difficulty in choosing its MLA as the candidate for the election to the post of Assembly Speaker, Lyngdoh said that everything would depend on the collective decision of the party MLAs and along with the approval of the party as a whole.

To a question that first timers may not have experience for the post of Speaker or minister, Lyngdoh said that many MLAs were also elected for the first time by the people, but a first time MLA can also perform.

“Therefore the question of having experience or not does not arise,” Lyngdoh said.

There were speculations that UDP MLA from Amlarem who is also the Education Minister, Lahkmen Rymbui may be offered the Speaker’s post.

Whether Rymbui will agree or not to such an offer, will be known after the UDP took a decision on who from among its six MLAs will be projected as candidate for the election to the Speaker’s post.