UDP firm on its stand to oppose CAB

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJune 14, 2019

SHILLONG: The United Democratic Party (UDP) has decided to continue its opposition against the move of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre to implement the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB). 

“We oppose the CAB and we are opposing it till now and our stand has not changed,” party senior working president Bindo M Lanong told reporters after a meeting of the central executive committee (CEC) held here on Friday.

He said that the political parties from the North East region will have to meet again to discuss on this issue. “We are going to take up since we all have together opposed the CAB,” Lanong said. 

At the same time, the CEC chaired by the party’s supremo Donkupar Roy also reviewed the poll performance of the party in the just concluded Lok Sabha elections. 

The UDP candidate and general secretary Jemino Mawthoh had unsuccessfully contested from Shillong parliamentary constituency when sitting Congress MP Vincent H Pala retained the seat with a comfortable margin of over 1.50 lakh votes. 

Lanong said that the party has decided to rubbish the allegations that the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) partners have betrayed our party during the just concluded LS polls. 

“This is not true. In fact our partners like the HSPDP, PDF, NPP, have work sincerely hard for our candidate and we are grateful to them,” the former deputy chief minister said. 

He said the Congress had succeeded in putting fear in the minds of the people on the issue related to the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) and that the UDP is working with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). 

“The Congress had managed to get the people with them and it was also too late for us to clarify on the issue,” Lanong said adding “However in Garo Hills, despite people knowing that the NPP is part of the BJP-led NDA at the Centre yet they elected the party’s nominee Agatha K Sangma.” 

Asked, the senior working president however denied that the party is weak and said, “It is not true that we are sinking. In the face of the ongoing political scenario in the state vis-à-vis the country, we did quite well in the MDC and MP elections.” 

Lanong also informed that the meeting has also decided to hold the general council meeting of the party on September 11, for electing of new office bearers of the party and for restructuring of the party organization. 

Asked, senior leader said that he is not interested to contest the post of the president. 

Meanwhile, the UDP has also decided to hold a meeting in Garo Hills to reorganize the party in the run up to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections which is slated to be held next year.