UDP plans rebuild for 2028 after losing 11 MLAs

The United Democratic Party (UDP) says it will rebuild its organisation and contest the 2028 Meghalaya Assembly elections in strength, despite the departure of 11 of its MLAs to other parties.

UDP general secretary Titosstarwell Chyne laid out the plan on Sunday, November 8, The Shillong Times reported.

The plan

According to Chyne, the party will:

• reorganise two district committees and several circle committees during November;
• hold a general council of its youth wing in the first week of December to elect new leaders, after the wing's president and general secretary left along with the departing MLAs;
• reach out to people across the state who want to join or contest on a UDP ticket.

Chyne said several people had already sent feelers about joining, and some had shown interest in contesting the next Assembly polls for the party. He did not name them.

How deep the losses go

The party has lost 15 of its 35 office-bearers, including the 11 MLAs. Chyne said that had not crippled the organisation. "The party does not come to an end simply because MLAs, MDCs or leaders leave. There is continuity," he said.

He said a recent Central Executive Committee meeting had brought all the remaining office-bearers together. Metbah Lyngdoh continues as party president and Chyne as general secretary.

Chyne accepted that the exodus had disappointed sections of the public. He argued that it also strengthened the case for a strong regional party in Meghalaya.

Background

The UDP was the second-largest partner in the National People's Party-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government until this autumn. Three UDP MLAs joined the NPP in late October. Metbah Lyngdoh then resigned from the state cabinet on October 31, and the party later withdrew from the government. Paul Lyngdoh, a former UDP leader now with the NPP, was sworn in as a minister on November 2.

The NPP has since kept adding members. Cabinet minister Marcuise N Marak said on Sunday that three more Garo Hills district council members were expected to join the NPP, The Shillong Times reported separately. He also dismissed the Congress as a serious challenge.

Whether the UDP's restructuring and the interest from new entrants turn into votes will only become clear closer to 2028.