Three UDP MLAs join Conrad Sangma-led NPP in Meghalaya, party strength rises to 36

Guwahati: Three United Democratic Party (UDP) MLAs on Monday joined the Conrad Sangma-led National People's Party (NPP). With this, the number of NPP MLAs has risen to 36 in the 60-member Assembly.

The size of the UDP, which is part of the ruling coalition, was reduced to one MLA. Paul Lyngdoh, Renikton L. Tongkhar and Nujorki Sungoh joined the NPP.

Earlier, eight UDP MLAs joined the BJP. The BJP is also part of the ruling coalition. UDP president Metbah Lyngdoh is left as its lone MLA.


Meghalaya Assembly Speaker Thomas A. Sangma had formally recognised the merger of three more UDP legislators with the 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 2028. The BJP had two MLAs. With these 10 MLAs, the BJP became the second-largest party in the Meghalaya Assembly after the NPP.