Meghalaya minister Metbah Lyngdoh resigns as UDP loses legislators to NPP, BJP

Guwahati: Metbah Lyngdoh cabinet minister in the Meghalaya council of ministers has resigned. Metab is MLA from United Democratic Party (UDP) which has faced an exodus of MLAs in recent times and is reduced to just one MLA.

He is also President of UDP. Three UDP MLAs on Monday joined the Conrad Sangma led National People's Party (NPP). Earlier eight UDP MLAs joined BJP. BJP is also part of the ruling coalition.

Metab was incharge of power, Textiles Department, Water Resources Department, and Taxation Department.


Lyngdoh confirmed that he had tendered his resignation to Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, stating that the decision was taken after carefully assessing the prevailing political situation and the recent developments within the party.

He said the party’s Central Executive Committee would deliberate on the political developments and determine the next course of action in consultation with its leaders. Lyngdoh said that the decision was entirely his own and was taken independently after due consideration.

Meghalaya Assembly Speaker Thomas A Sangma had formally recognised the merger of three more UDP legislators with NPP.

The Speaker had earlier accepted the merger of eight UDP MLAs with the BJP on October 16. The Speaker recognised the merger under Paragraph 4 of the Tenth Schedule to the Constitution.

Meghalaya is going to assembly polls in the 2028 Assembly elections. BJP had two MLAs. With these 10 MLAs, the BJP became the second-largest party in the Meghalaya Assembly after the NPP.