What went wrong… we have to find out: Metbah Lyngdoh on UDP’s disappointing performance in LS Polls
First Published: 6th June, 2024 15:26 IST
VPP Ricky AJ Syngkon won from the Shillong Lok Sabha constituency by a margin of over 3.71 lakh votes and defeated his nearest rival Vincent Pala of the Congress.
Despite having 14 MLAs which includes 12 from UDP and 2 from HSPDP, the Regional Democratic Alliance (RDA) candidate Robertjune Kharjahrin who was in the fray from the Shillong Lok Sabha constituency could secure merely 44,563 votes.
Compared to this, Ricky AJ Syngkon of the debutant Voice of the Peoples Party secured 5,71,078 votes and managed to have the last laugh leaving behind big names like 3-time Shillong MP Vincent Pala of the Congress and cabinet minister Ampareen Lyngdoh of the NPP.
Interestingly, contesting in UDP symbol Kharjahrin couldn’t drum up support even in the constituency of RDA Chairperson and the President of United Democratic Party (UDP) RDA Metbah Lyngdoh who represents the Mairang constituency.
In Mairang Legislative Assembly segments the total vote casted was 33,954, the RDA candidate got 8124 votes while the VPP got double the number that is 16,981 votes.
In the constituency of cabinet Minister and UDP working President Paul Lyngdoh which is the West Shillong (General) Legislative Assembly segment, RDA got 1021 votes while the VPP got maximum votes which is 5600.
Even in the constituency of Kyrmen Shylla, Cabinet Minister who represents Khliehriat Legislative Assembly segment RDA got 4224 votes while VPP garnered maximum votes of 19,578. The RDA candidate in fact couldn’t find enough support in the constituencies represented by 12 UDP and 2 HSPDP legislators.
President of UDP, who is also the Chairperson of the RDA Metbah Lyngdoh speaking to Northeast Live such a poor response by the voters for the party was never expected.
Lyngdoh said, “When we are going for the campaign, I never saw that there will be such a poor response to us. There were good attendance of people wherever we went. There has to be a detailed review as far as the performance is concerned, only after that we can take necessary steps.”
The UDP president further emphasized that corrective steps will certainly be taken to revive the party but only after knowing the reasons behind the RDA’s disappointing performance in the elections.
“First of all I should know exactly what went wrong with our party and how others could succeed. That is what we have to find out, that is the most important thing for me. I will not come to any conclusion right now. What went wrong between 2023 and this MP election, in between this one year, that is what we would like to know. So I cannot just come to a conclusion just right now. It will take some time for us, as the leaders within the party to take a serious review on these changes that has taken place in this one year gap.
There has to be a detailed review as far as the performance is concerned, only after that we can take necessary steps. Without knowing the reasons, you will not know how to move forward. So, how we do move forward in politics as a party, we should know the reasons and just cannot come to any conclsusion. I cannot blame anyone and I cannot blame myself also. At the end of the day we have to sit together and find out the reasons,” Lyngdoh stated.
When asked if the party’s strength has diminished, Lyngdoh pointed out to the fact that the number of party MLAs had only increased in 2023 as compared to 2018.
Metbah Lyngdoh said, “In 2018 we had only 6 MLAs, we were there in MDA 1.0, in 2023 we were awarded with 12 MLAs, which means people have accepted us to perform and to be in the government.”
The rise and fall of the United Democratic Party in just one year is an eye opener. The UDP which won 6 seats in 2018, doubled it’s number in 2023 when the party emerged as single largest in Khasi Jaintia Hills in 2023 Assembly elections where 12 candidates of the party was elected.
COMMENTS
![](assets/images/article/fb.jpg)
TOPMOST STORY NOW
![Banner](https://northeastlive.s3.amazonaws.com/media/uploads/2024/09/Untitled-design-7.png)
Live Kuki-Zos Protest Removal of Assam Rifles, Plans Mass Agitations from Tomorrow
07th September 2024![Banner](https://northeastlive.s3.amazonaws.com/media/uploads/2024/09/Untitled-design-6.png)
Live Manipur Violence: CM Biren Singh Holds 2 Cabinet Meets in Less Than 24 Hours, Meets Governor Acharya
07th September 2024![Banner](https://northeastlive.s3.amazonaws.com/media/uploads/2024/09/Untitled-design-5.png)
Live SDF Leader Tshering Wangdi To Quit Party Soon, Will Join SKM
07th September 2024![Banner](https://northeastlive.s3.amazonaws.com/media/uploads/2024/09/Untitled-design-4.png)
Live Tripura: Woman Stripped and Assaulted by Locals after Husband Commits Suicide
07th September 2024WE RECOMMEND
![Banner](https://northeastlive.s3.amazonaws.com/media/uploads/2024/09/car-insider.jpg)
Meghalaya Police Collects Rs 13.35 Lakh in Fines Amid Crack Down on Black Films and Tinted Glass
Only Ministers and MLAs are allowed to use these films, and that too, only on one of their vehicles, said East Khasi Hills District Superintendent of Police, Sylvester.
06th September 2024![Banner](https://northeastlive.s3.amazonaws.com/media/uploads/2024/09/hd-lipika.jpg)
Meghalaya: Dy CM Sniawbhalang Dhar Slaps Rs 100 Cr Defamation Notice on Meghalaya Cong President Vincent Pala
Pala has been asked to issue an irrevocable public apology to Dhar for making misleading and politically motivated statements against Dhar.
05th September 2024![Banner](https://northeastlive.s3.amazonaws.com/media/uploads/2024/09/Untitled-design-38.png)
Meghalaya Electricity Corporation Registers Rs 350 Cr Loss Annually, Government to Review Operations
CM Sangma said that the state government is actively exploring all available options to address the financial challenges of MeCL.
05th September 2024![Banner](https://northeastlive.s3.amazonaws.com/media/uploads/2024/09/Untitled-design-60.png)
Assam-Meghalaya border talks to resume next month: Meghalaya CM Conrad K Sangma
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Wednesday informed that the second phase of border talks for resolving the border dispute in the remaining six areas between Meghalaya and Assam is likely to resume next month (October). Speaking to media, CM Sangma revealed that he had discussed the matter with the Assam Chief Minister Himanta […]
05th September 2024![Banner](https://northeastlive.s3.amazonaws.com/media/uploads/2024/09/Untitled-design-59.png)
Assam-Meghalaya govts to form joint committee to examine USTM students issue
The Meghalaya and Assam governments have decided to form a joint committee to address various issues related to the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya (USTM). The development comes in the wake of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma making a controversial remark suggesting that graduates from USTM might be barred from appearing in recruitment […]
05th September 2024