Shillong, May 22: United Democratic Party president Metbah Lyngdoh on Friday said the party will decide its candidate for the Shillong Lok Sabha by-election within the next two days, with public sentiment and the prevailing political climate guiding the choice.
“The party has already initiated the process of selecting a candidate for the Shillong Lok Sabha byelection. It is still underway, and we expect to reach a conclusion within a day or two,” Lyngdoh told reporters.
He confirmed that two to three party members are keen to contest but stressed that the decision would hinge on merit, not just interest.
“We have to look at whether a person genuinely wants to contest and serve. We also want to see the agenda they bring. We need to be sure they truly intend to serve the people if elected,” he said.
On speculation around senior advocate VGK Kynta’s name, Lyngdoh said, “There are many names. Most aspirants want the decision to be taken at the party level first. We will inform everyone at the appropriate time.”
Lyngdoh added that talks with the Regional Democratic Alliance (RDA) are ongoing and a “timely decision” will be taken shortly.
He noted that while the UDP is part of the MDA government, party decisions are independent.
“The MDA is a coalition of many parties. But when it comes to party matters, we have our own approach. All parties are working in the interest of the state, so decisions depend on the situation.”
Reflecting on recent electoral performance, the UDP chief said the party had rebounded strongly after its poor showing in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
“Every day is not Sunday. The last MP election was the worst performance for the party and the RDA as an alliance. But in the MDC elections just a year later, the UDP alone gained over 1 lakh additional votes,” he said. That recovery, he added, has bolstered the party’s confidence.
“That has convinced us. This time, as we meet people, there is a clear demand that the UDP should field its own candidate, given the political situation in the state.”
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