Shillong, Jan 13 : The United Democratic Party (UDP), a part of the Meghalaya Progressive Alliance, will field social worker John F. Kharshiing as the party’s candidate to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Shillong.

A UDP leader today said the party would project Kharshiing as a consensus candidate of the ruling MPA to take on the Congress candidate in Shillong. The sitting MP from Shillong and Union tribal affairs minister P.R. Kyndiah is likely to get the Congress ticket.

However, former Meghalaya PCC president O.L. Nongtdu said he would also seek a party ticket to contest the Shillong seat. There were reports that a section of the UDP was willing to project former minister R.G. Lyngdoh as the party’s candidate for the same.

However Lyngdoh, who did not contest 2008 state Assembly elections, made it clear that he was not interested in the race for the Lok Sabha seat.

The MPA had earlier decided that while the coalition partners will support NCP candidate Agatha Sangma for the Tura seat, the NCP and other coalition partners in the government will give support to any UDP candidate projected by the party for the Shillong seat.

The majority of UDP leaders have approved the candidature of Kharshiing to contest the elections from Shillong. In fact, Kharshiing is the brother of former Rajya Sabha MP from Shillong, Robert Kharshiing.

Yesterday at an election campaign held at Umroi in Ribhoi district in favour of UDP candidate George B. Lyngdoh, the son of late E.K. Mawlong, who will be contesting the byelection to Umroi seat, the party leaders projected its Lok Sabha candidate, Kharshiing, who was also present at the public meeting.

The leaders who were present, including UDP legislators Ampareen Lyngdoh and Ardent Basaiwmoit, said UDP was committed to work for the development of the people of the state.

They also urged the people that no one should succumb to money and muscle power during the Umroi byelection and the forhtcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Denis Siangshai, another social activist from Jaintia Hills, recently announced his candidature as an Independent to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Shillong.