Eight UDP MLAs join BJP, take party tally to 10 in Meghalaya as regional party shrinks to four

In a major political realignment in Meghalaya, eight of the United Democratic Party’s 12 MLAs Wednesday joined the BJP, increasing the party’s strength five-fold from two to 10 in the 60-member Assembly and reducing the UDP to just four legislators.

The eight — Lahkmen Rymbui, Kyrmen Shylla, Mayralborn Syiem, Pius Marwein, Ollan Sing Suin, Matthew Beyondstar Kurbah, Balajied Kupar Synrem and Synshar Kupar Roy Lyngdoh Thabah — were inducted at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi in the presence of Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra and other senior leaders. The switch made the BJP the second-largest party in the Assembly after Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma’s National People’s Party (NPP).

UDP takes disciplinary action

Hours after the switch, the UDP suspended three of the eight legislators — Suin, Shylla and Kurbah — after they failed to respond to show-cause notices issued over their decision to join the BJP.

UDP president Metbah Lyngdoh said the three MLAs had been given until Wednesday to either appear before the party’s State Parliamentary Board or submit written replies, but none had responded. The party subsequently decided to place them under suspension until further orders.

The crossover leaves the UDP with four MLAs — Lyngdoh, Paul Lyngdoh, Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar and Nujorki Sungoh — significantly altering the balance among the constituents of the NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance.

Both the BJP and UDP have been part of the ruling coalition, meaning the movement of the eight MLAs from one constituent to another does not by itself alter the numerical strength of the government.

‘Talks were on for some time’

Rymbui, the Amlarem MLA, said the decision had not been taken suddenly and that discussions with the BJP’s central leadership had been underway for some time.

“This is not happening all of a sudden. The talks have been going on for quite some time,” he said, adding that the legislators had raised several Meghalaya-specific issues with the BJP leadership and received what he described as a “positive response”.

Among the issues raised were the demand for inclusion of the Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, implementation and changes concerning the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act, difficulties surrounding coal mining and relocation of the Harijan Colony from Them Iew Mawlong.

The group had been in discussions with the BJP leadership before Wednesday’s formal induction, and their impending switch had been publicly discussed in Meghalaya politics over the past week.

Welcoming the legislators, Rijiju said their entry into the BJP was an “extremely important political development” for Meghalaya and the Northeast. He attributed their decision to what he described as the progress made in the region under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

BJP becomes second-largest party

The crossover represents a substantial expansion for the BJP in a state where it previously had only two legislators — A L Hek and Sanbor Shullai. With 10 MLAs, it now has a considerably larger presence within both the Assembly and the ruling coalition.

The NPP, however, remains comfortably the largest party with 33 MLAs.

The development could also change the political equations among the MDA partners as Meghalaya moves towards the 2028 Assembly election. The BJP’s increased legislative strength has prompted questions over whether it could seek greater representation in the government, but Sangma said Wednesday that no such demand had been made.

Asked whether the BJP had sought additional ministerial berths following the induction of the eight legislators, Sangma said, “No, they have not asked for anything.”

Conrad says government unaffected

The Chief Minister sought to play down the implications for his government, describing the crossover as a matter involving individual MLAs and the two coalition partners.

“It is a decision of individual MLAs. So, I have nothing to comment on this,” Sangma said in Shillong.

He stressed that the overall strength of the ruling alliance had not changed because the legislators had moved between two parties already supporting the MDA government.

“We still have a very strong majority in the House, and we are confident that everything will remain as it is,” he said.

Sangma also ruled out any immediate disruption to the functioning of the coalition, maintaining that the NPP would continue to focus on strengthening its own organisation and political identity.

For the UDP, however, Wednesday’s developments mark a significant setback. The regional party has lost two-thirds of its legislative strength in a single day, while the BJP has moved from a marginal presence in the Assembly to become the principal party behind the NPP in terms of numbers.