United Democratic Party (UDP)

United Democratic Party (UDP) is a regional political party, as approved by the Election Commission of India. Its mass base is primarily in the state of Meghalaya, a north-eastern state of India. The UDP operates on the political ideology of Regionalism and Populism. The party attempts to revive the glory of the formation years of the state of Meghalaya, when people lived in peace, prosperity and hope.

  The United Democratic Party was formed by E.K. Mawlong in the year 1997, with the aim to restore the prestige and glory of the state when it was in its formative years, and to fulfill the aspirations of the residents of the state for an effective and corruption-free government. Mawlong remained the Chief Minister of Meghalaya till March 2000. The United Democratic Party was formed when the three regional parties in the state—The Hill State People’s Democratic Party, the Hill People Union and The Public Demand Implementation Convention—came together and amalgamated to form one single political organization called the United Democratic Party.

The party is presently led by Donkupar Roy. The UDP has no member of parliament either in the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha. The party could not win any seat in the Lower House of Parliament in the 2009 general elections. Currently, the UDP is the third-largest political party in Meghalaya, after the ruling Indian National Congress and the second largest political party, the Nationalist Congress Party.

Election Symbol of UDP

The Election Symbol of the United Democratic Party, as approved by the Election Commission of India, is the drum. The drum is symbolic of announcing good news in relation to something. It is also the symbol of celebration and joy. In ancient Indian epics and mythology, the beating of the drums was used to indicate the arrival of good and happy times. Its beating also indicates the beginning of celebrations, festivities galore, and harmony.

In the same spirit, the use of the drum by the UDP reveals the true spirit of the party. Through its revolutionary ideals and struggles, the UDP promises to bring celebration, peace, festivities to the residents of Meghalaya.

United Democratic Party President

The leader of the United Democratic Party, who is also the national executive of the party, is its President Donkupar Roy. Roy remained the Chief Minister of Meghalaya for a brief period of one year between 2008 and 2009, as part of Meghalaya Progressive Alliance, a coalition of the UDP and other small regional political parties in the state of Meghalaya. Soon, however, after President’s rule was imposed on the state in 2009, the UDP broke out of the alliance. Donkupar Roy remains the Leader of Opposition in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, representing the ST-reserved Shella Assembly constituency in the East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya.

Achievements of UDP

As a regional political party, the United Democratic Party has had a number of achievements. Some of these are listed below:

• The United Democratic Party has a number of frontal mass organizations under its banner, such as the Women’s Wing and the Youth Wing. These respective organizations continue to protect the interests of the women and the youth of the state, the two most neglected and oppressed sections of the society because of dismal security for women and poor employment opportunities for the youth.
• The UDP has played a pivotal role in recently demanding the Governor’s intervention to protect the law-and-order issues in the Congress-ruled government in Meghalaya. The state has one of the highest incidences of political and social criminalization in the country, and the Congress has not been able to do much to provide security to the people of the state. The UDP has demanded immediate Governor intervention to stop the killing of innocent lives and restore peace and harmony in the state.
• With Roy as the Chief Minister, a number of positive developments took place in the state, including infrastructural growth, economic and educational prosperity and better living conditions in the state.

Address details

• Head Office Address of UDP: Mawlai Nonglum, Shillong- 793008, Meghalaya

TDP Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha Election Results Year Wise

Lok Sabha				Vidhan Sabha
State	Latest Year	Seats Won		Latest Year	Seats Won
Andhra Pradesh	2019	0		2019	0
Telangana	2019	0		2019	0