More Meghalaya MLAs, MDCs want to join BJP, says Rikman Momin

Meghalaya BJP president Rikman G Momin said on Monday that several sitting MLAs and members of the autonomous district councils (MDCs) have approached the party wanting to join, signalling another possible round of inductions.

A final decision on their entry will be taken after a meeting with the party's central leadership in Delhi on November 15, Momin said in Shillong. He did not name the legislators or say how many had approached the party.

From two MLAs to ten

The BJP's strength in the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly recently rose from two to ten after eight United Democratic Party (UDP) legislators moved to the party. The UDP, which pulled out of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government earlier this month, has said it will rebuild ahead of the 2028 Assembly election.

Momin credited the eight new members for joining with the aim of resolving what he called five key issues facing the state, and argued the larger numbers had already changed how the Centre views Meghalaya.

"We can clearly see how keenly the centre is taking us after the numbers have increased," he said, pointing to recent visits to Shillong by a coal committee and by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) examining the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) amendment.

Coordination committee after Delhi trip

Momin said a coordination committee headed by a sitting MLA will be announced after the Delhi visit to take up four of the issues. A central team will work with the MLAs on the committee so that the matters can be resolved quickly, he said, adding that the state unit would play a central role.

Assurance on Christian institutions

The BJP chief also sought to address concerns among churches and Christian-run institutions over the FCRA changes. He said the party would ensure their interests are "strongly and rightly preserved", and that state leaders would meet the JPC chairman in Delhi to present the state unit's position and suggest a solution. The issue could not be resolved without the state party's involvement, he said.

Pitch for a majority

Momin ended with an appeal to voters to give the BJP a clear majority in the Assembly, saying a stronger mandate would allow more issues to be solved and development to move faster.

The inductions have drawn criticism from the opposition. On Sunday, Congress leader Saleng A Sangma accused the ruling NPP of putting the poaching of MLAs ahead of development.

The November 15 meeting is now the next marker for whether more Meghalaya legislators switch to the BJP before the 2028 polls.