The United Democratic Party (UDP) has constituted a special committee to prepare the party for the upcoming elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) slated for April 9.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the central executive committee (CEC) chaired by the UDP chief, Metbah Lyngdoh on Friday.
“After much deliberation, we have decided to constitute a special committee on the elections to the GHADC, members of which will be drawn from the CEC as well as the district committees of Garo Hills,” UDP vice president Allantry F Dkhar told reporters.
Dkhar said that the special committee will take care of all election related issues, including the selection of candidates as well as campaigning ahead of the GHADC polls. Dkhar also informed that Lyngdoh would also be leaving for Williamnagar, East Garo Hills district on February 12, to drum up support for the party. "Decision will also be arrived at as to when will the first meeting of the special committee be held to lay out the modalities and programmes related to the GHADC elections,” he said.
The UDP leader said that the special committee will be taking a call as to whether the party should field candidates from all the 29 seats.
Dkhar however, informed that so far, applications from interested candidates have been received in 15 constituencies, adding that most of the constituencies have more than one applicant.
“With the passage of time, we figure that we may be able to field the candidates in all the constituencies or we fall short by a few,” he said.
Whether the UDP is open for pre-poll alliance with any of the MDA partners, Dkhar said, “The special committee has been empowered with all the authority of the state election committee to look into all matters related to the GHADC elections, so it is until and unless this committee meets and deliberates answer to that can be delivered to you.”
The UDP will also soon release its election manifesto for the GHADC polls.
