UDP:Leadership to be settled by consensus

SHILLONG, FEB 18: As clamour for the change of leadership in the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) from some quarters have been reported, the party on Thursday has decided to leave it to  the wisdom of the nomination committee to recommend the leaders who will be leading the party’s new body.

Though the term of the present executive committee of the UDP is till 14 March, 2017, but the party decided to advance holding the general council meeting for electing the new body to  February 27.

The party has decided to advance the holding of the general council for electing the new body, in view of the party’s gearing up for the forthcoming 2018 state assembly elections.

The party has also constituted an organizing committee for the preparation of the upcoming general council meeting of the party.

There have been reports of dissension within some party leaders as some of them felt that the present UDP president Donkupar Roy should be removed in the upcoming general council.

However, UDP general secretary  Alantry F Dkhar played it safe saying that the party has left it to the wisdom of the nomination committee for electing new body of the party including party president and other leaders. after a meeting of the party’s central executive committee (CEC) on Thursday.

Dkhar said that what was reported all this while was just an “offer” made by several leaders who have expressed their keenness to work for the interest of the party.

senior UDP leaders like UDP working presidents Bindo M Lanong and Paul Lyngdoh, a former state urban minister have also expressed their keenness to lead the party.

Dkhar, however, enlightened that the party’s tradition has always been to choose the leader(s) through consensus and not election as such decision is arrived through a mechanism that is the nomination committee.

Dkhar informed that the nomination committee comprises of members who are presidents and secretaries of the district executive committees, youth wing, women wing, farmer wing and six prominent members of the party.-By Our Reporter