NEDA is a ‘loose association’: Donkupar Roy

Shillong, March 16, 2019:

Softening its stand on Citizenship Amendment Bill, United Democratic Party has said that the Bill will not be in its agenda during the Lok Sabha poll as CAB is an issue of MPs in Parliament only. Stating that the party is not having any pre-poll alliance with BJP, UDP president Donkupar Roy added that it is wrong to say BJP is an anti-tribal party.

He, however, said in Shillong, the party’s candidate Jemino Mawthoh is the common candidate of Regional parties in MDA and BJP will be contesting the poll on its own. After the pre-Lok Sabha reunion between AGP and BJP, all eyes are now set on UDP returning to NEDA.

To this, Roy said NEDA is a “loose association” forum for a specific purpose and not for electioneering. He said whenever necessary, UDP has come out from NEDA and whenever necessary it bounces back as there is no agreement for joining. Roy, however, mentioned there was dissatisfaction with regards to CAB after which BJP went their own way. Stating that presently the UDP is only concerned about winning the election, Roy predicted the downfall of Congress in the days to come.

It is to be mentioned that the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) will field Jemino Mawthoh of the UDP from Shillong and Agatha Sangma from Tura Constituency.