United Democratic Party (UDP) leader and cabinet minister Paul Lyngdoh on Tuesday admitted that anti-incumbency played a key role in the party’s underwhelming performance in the recently concluded Autonomous District Council (ADC) elections in Khasi and Jaintia Hills.
The UDP, a major regional party and a partner in the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government, secured only five seats in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and three in the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC). Lyngdoh attributed the results to the electorate’s preference for change. “The unsatisfactory performance was due to anti-incumbency, as people always think new brooms sweep well. VPP has never been in power, so it is easier to sit from the galleries and point out where things are going wrong on the ground but we have been on the ground for a very long so obviously people can point at your mistakes because you are supposed to perform but VPP till today has not dawn the mantle of government or power. Therefore, it is easier to say that look we are without power give us power first then we will deliver,” he said.
Asked, on whether the results signaled a warning ahead of the 2028 elections, Lyngdoh maintained that the party remained vigilant. “We are always on the alert as a party and if we compare our performance to the last Lok Sabha elections, we have certainly improved but that again is not satisfactory but comparatively in the Lok Sabha elections, we were almost wiped out but this time around we managed five seats on our own and HSPDP one. Anyway it is a sign that we are recovering but we would like the rate of recovery to be faster.”
He confirmed that the UDP would soon convene to assess the outcome. “Politics has its ups and downs. Our performance was below par, but as a party, we will analyze what went wrong and work to recover lost ground,” he stated.
Despite the setback, he extended his congratulations to the Voice of the People Party (VPP) for its electoral success. “It is good that they are now in a comfortable position to lead the EC in the KHADC. I wish them well and hope they deliver on their electoral promises,” he said.
Asked whether VPP’s rise was fueled by emotions and public sentiment, Lyngdoh observed, “Their campaign style was different from ours, but in politics, there is always a graph—you rise, reach your climax, decline, and rise again. History repeats itself.”
Recognizing VPP’s growing political influence, he acknowledged, “It has been an excellent performance, and VPP has emerged as a major player. However, as one of the oldest and largest regional parties, UDP must pull up its socks and optimize its potential.”
On UDP’s loss in Jaiaw, he pointed to constituency-wise polling data. “In polling stations under West Shillong, VPP led us by over 600 votes. Compared to the Lok Sabha elections, where we finished last, we were second this time. However, our poor performance in North Shillong cost us.”
Dismissing speculation about leadership change within the party, Lyngdoh asserted, “That thought has not crossed our minds. We are a democratic party—when things go right, we take collective credit; when they go wrong, we take collective responsibility.”