Shillong, Feb 25: United Democratic Party (UDP) chief adviser Bindo M Lanong on Friday expressed that poaching in politics is acceptable and that it is part of politics. “That (poaching) is acceptable in politics. In politics everything is acceptable,” Lanong told reporters when asked to comment on AITC’s allegation that the ruling NPP is poaching leaders of its MDA partners.
He said that the NPP has every right to poach leaders from other political parties as everybody is doing it.
On the AITC asking regional parties to sever ties with the NPP, Lanong said, “I don’t care about all that. We go by what we feel is right for us. We will go by those who care about that.”
If the UDP will also poach other leaders, he said, “Everybody is doing that, it is part of politics.”
With regard to the issue of illegal coal trade, the UDP leader asserted the need for instituting an independent probe into the matter. “I am in favour of an independent inquiry. Independent inquiry is always advisable,” he said.
The Meghalaya High Court on Wednesday directed the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police (DGP) to file an independent report into the alleged illegal coal mining in the state.
To this, Lanong said if the government does not challenge, the order of the court stands.
“Well, if the government does not challenge the order then the next step you have to constitute otherwise you will be caught by the court. If you oppose that then challenge if not, you have to constitute. And if the government does not go by the order of the court then they will be held in contempt you know that either you challenge or you constitute otherwise you will be held for contempt as simple as that,” he added.
