Former deputy chief minister Bindo M Lanong on Monday said the United Democratic Party (UDP) has a very bleak prospect .
After filing his nomination from Nongkrem constituency, Lanong said that it was “wishful thinking” on the part of the UDP to claim that the chief minister will be from the party.
“I had earlier said they would not even cross 10 according to my estimation. So the question of reaching that goal that the UDP CM will lead the government, I think it is a pipe dream,” he said.
Lanong however said that he is contesting as independent as he was deprived of his rights after business people came into politics.
“This is what our forefathers like BB Lyngdoh said no business people should not be encouraged to join politics. It prove true this time when a businessman has come to UDP as president of the party, everything has changed,” he said adding “I have no scam in my life, I have contributed a lot for the development of the state and the people and I am ignored and the ticket has been allotted to a person who is not even in the UDP, who has never been in the UDP before. So everyone is shocked.”
He claimed if he was given a ticket in the UDP, the party would have been able to win 12 to 15 seats as there will be more attractions.
“However, many UDP members are not happy and are shocked but they can’t express it as long as the election is not over,” he said.
On the failure of the MDA partners to pull out of the government despite making allegations of corruption, Lanong said, “Everybody knows that corruption is there and after criticizing and yet they continue to remain there then you know why. It goes without saying (that they are hand in glove in all these corruption practices).”
He also expressed confidence to win the Nongkrem seat and assured to change the lives of the farmers and economy of the constituency if elected as MLA.
“They (farmers) have been so poor, ignored, neglected, now I am going to take up a challenge to address their plight and development their economy from what it is, they are in shambles, I don’t why all these years no one has even gone to give them a helping hand, ideas as to how they should improve their livelihood and all that. After I have gone to these areas people are expressing full of hope that with my going there I am really going to change the economy and lives of the people.”