SHILLONG, May 9 : Political rift within the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) coalition is growing, with post-poll mudslinging between the regional parties and the Congress having become a routine affair. Fissures within the Congress-led coalition had become apparent in the run-up to the recently held Lok Sabha elections in the State, with the regional parties and the Congress, all partners in the ruling coalition, fielding separate candidates for the Shillong parliamentary constituency.
Prominent regional parties – United Democratic Party (UDP), Meghalaya Democratic Party (MDP), Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) and Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHHAM) – fielded a consensus candidate under the umbrella of the Regional Parties’ Alliance (RPA). Although Chief Minister DD Lapang made last-ditch efforts at enlisting the support of his partners in the coalition for the Congress or field a common MDA candidate, the regional parties were firm on their decision to uphold their “regional identity”, much to the consternation of the Congress.
The coalition partners took on each other during the campaign, with the regional parties even threatening to make public the “misdeeds” of the Congress, the leader of the ruling coalition. The regional parties also alleged that the Congress had indulged in malpractice in some polling stations under the Shillong parliamentary constituency during the Lok Sabha elections in the State on April 20 last. The umbrella organisation of the regional outfits, the RPA, had demanded repolling in the three constituencies of Jaintia Hills, namely, War Jaintia, Rymbai and Jowai alleging that the Congress had indulged in booth cap