SHILLONG : Changing tack since the recent byelections, the United Democratic Party (UDP), a constituent of the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA), has proposed that the allies field common candidates for the two seats in the state in next year's Lok Sabha election."Though we have not discussed this with NPP yet, we would like to field common candidates for the parliamentary election," UDP president and assembly speaker Donkupar Roy said.While the Shillong Lok Sabha seat is represented by Vincent H Pala of the Congress, the Tura Lok Sabha seat is represented by chief minister Conrad Sangma, who is also national president of NPP. The chief minister, who recently won the byelection from the South Tura assembly constituency with support from all MDA constituents, is expected to resign from Parliament next week. In the bypoll to Ranikor, however, NPP and UDP had locked horns, with the chief minister downplaying any indication of a rift and saying that no matter who wins, it will be "MDA's victory". UDP won the Ranikor bypoll.Meanwhile, with the district council elections just six months away, the UDP raised the demand to introduce an anti-defection law in the three autonomous district councils (ADCs).Party president Roy said UDP is yet to decide on the names of probable candidates. "What the party feels is that in the MDC elections, we may go it alone," he said, referring to the Khasi and Jaintia Hills region.When asked if the MDA and its partners would demand that the Centre speed up amendment of the Sixth Schedule to pave way for introduction of the anti-defection law in the autonomous district councils, Roy said, "All the parties and the government, too, has expressed this opinion to the Centre that we would like to have some sort of anti-defection act even for the members of the district councils".He said there were "random changes" of party affiliations by elected members of the district councils, which needed to be checked."This is a problem we are concerned about and in fact what we need is more responsible and disciplined persons to be MDCs," he added.

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