United Democratic Party (UDP) chief adviser Bindo M Lanong on Friday announced his decision to contest as an independent candidate from Nongkrem constituency in the forthcoming assembly elections, slated to be held on February 27.
His decision came after the party had recently declared the sitting legislator of Nongkrem Lambor Malngiang as its official candidate.
Speaking to reporters, Lanong said,“Exactly I will contest as an independent candidate. I am here because they placed me outside… I am not inside any longer so from whichever position I am, I am contesting.”
He said that UDP’s decision to allot the party ticket to Malngiang has come not as a surprise to him. He said, “there are many reasons and factors that the ticket went in favour of a person who was never in the UDP. He (Malngiang) was with the KHNAM, with the Congress and now he is an MLA of the independent group but he was never with the UDP.”
Lanong said that UDP did not have any candidate from Nongkrem in 2018 and due to his reason he has decided to contest from Nongkrem constituency. However, the party claimed that the majority of the people in Nongkrem constituency are in favour of Malngiang for allotment of party ticket.
“My team had gone to meet the party leaders – including president and general secretary – they didn’t even have time to talk properly as if they were in a great hurry, they didn’t even bother to listen to the explanation, reports of the committee – which was in my favour,” he added.
Lanong said he has a very good chance to win the Nongkrem seat. “I have involved myself and I have gone deep to the interior, met the people in the grassroot, I have a good support everywhere.”
The former deputy chief minister said he later found out that the claim made by the party was all made up as they have never conducted or collected any information in a manner that will be fair. “The result will prove them wrong and people will not forgive them anymore”.
Lanong further said that two-three leaders of the UDP, who are opposing his candidature, are finished as they have no chance of winning the elections.
“Two or three leaders who are involved in this allotment of ticket scam, they are already finished. People will give them the right treatment that such people deserve, they will see that,” he said.
Lanong said he will not break the UDP because he will go back to the party after the elections. “I don’t intend to break the party. UDP is my baby. I was there when UDP was born. I was there even before UDP was created, I was with Hill People Union (HPU), I won also from APHLC – the original political party…party has taken two or three changes in course of time, I remain still from day one till now in the UDP.”
“I am not going to tell anyone to resign or to come out of the UDP because I am going back to the UDP because I have so many leaders in the party who feel for me, who sympathize but they cannot speak out. They are shocked also but they cannot speak out. So immediately after the election, I will consider amalgamation of my UDP-Original which is just a branch of the UDP – I will go back to the parent body. And it will be easier for me at that time after two-three leaders who opposed me are out.”
“I have no intention to create another political party. UDP is my baby. I am going back to the UDP immediately after the election is over.”