Shillong: The Hill State People’s Democratic Party is sitting out the Shillong parliamentary by-election. Party leaders confirmed they will not back the United Democratic Party nominee. This move shatters the usual partnership between the two Regional Democratic Alliance members.
HSPDP officials wanted to run under their own party symbol. Negotiations with the UDP dragged on and eventually went nowhere. Time ran out before they could pick a candidate. Rather than fold, the HSPDP stepped aside entirely.
The party refuses to tell its members how to vote. District and constituency units will decide their own allegiances. According to the party, they played no part in the candidate selection and will not hit the campaign trail for the UDP. The leadership insists, "The decision stems not from hostility but from its desire to strengthen its own political identity and organisational presence in the region."
The alliance remains in place for other legislative business. Both parties agreed to keep the Regional Democratic Alliance alive to fight for Meghalaya on larger issues. For now, the UDP must run its campaign without the formal backing of its primary regional partner.
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