Meghalaya: Three UDP MLAs join NPP, ruling party rises to 36 seats

Three legislators elected on United Democratic Party (UDP) tickets formally joined the ruling National People's Party (NPP) in Meghalaya on Wednesday, October 28, taking the NPP's strength to 36 in the 60-member Assembly.

Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, who is also the NPP's national president, welcomed Paul Lyngdoh and Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar at an induction ceremony at the party headquarters in Shillong. Deputy Chief Ministers Prestone Tynsong and Sniawbhalang Dhar and several senior party leaders attended.

The third legislator, Nujorki Sungoh, could not attend because of ill health, but his supporters from the Mokaiaw constituency joined the NPP at the event.

Speaker had already recognised the merger

Assembly Speaker Thomas A. Sangma had formally recognised the merger of the three UDP legislators with the NPP on October 16, under Paragraph 4 of the Tenth Schedule to the Constitution. Paragraph 4 is the provision of the anti-defection law that protects legislators from disqualification when their original party is treated as having merged with another.

Wednesday's event completed the move at the party level.

UDP reduced to one MLA

The switch leaves the UDP with a single legislator, its president Metbah Lyngdoh. Until September 22, the UDP was the second-largest party in the House.

On September 23, eight UDP legislators joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), raising the BJP's tally from two to ten and making it the second-largest party in the Assembly.

What Sangma said

Welcoming the new members, the chief minister said he hoped they would together uphold the party's values and keep working for the progress and prosperity of the people of Meghalaya.

Why it matters

The two rounds of defections have reshaped Meghalaya's political map within weeks. The NPP now holds a clear majority on its own, while the UDP, a regional party that was long a key player in Khasi-Jaintia politics, has been reduced to a lone member in the House.