Meghalaya UDP could be left with just one MLA, says Paul Lyngdoh

The United Democratic Party (UDP) could soon be left with only one MLA, West Shillong legislator Paul Lyngdoh said on September 25, as the Meghalaya regional party faces a major political realignment following the exit of eight of its legislators to the BJP.

Lyngdoh, one of the four UDP MLAs who remain with the party, said he was consulting supporters in his constituency before deciding his next political course.

“The signs indicate that there are MLAs who may leave for other parties,” Lyngdoh said, indicating that the movement of legislators away from the UDP may not be over.

He said he was not surprised by the decision of the eight MLAs to join the BJP and criticised the UDP leadership for allegedly refusing to acknowledge dissatisfaction within the party.

“I have spoken many times within the party that there is a lot of dissatisfaction with the way it is functioning. What is unfortunate is that the leader simply denies it. They keep denying that there is anything wrong,” he said.

Lyngdoh pointed to the UDP's declining strength in the Khasi-Jaintia region, saying the party had held 12 of the 36 Assembly seats in the region three years ago but now has only four.

“And even among these four, there are signs that it could soon be reduced to just one,” he said.

Asked about reports that he could join the BJP, Lyngdoh said he was consulting his supporters in the West Shillong constituency before taking a decision.

“I am at a stage where I am consulting and seeking the views of my supporters in the UDP's West Shillong constituency because the party may be left with only one or two MLAs. Therefore, we have to decide what we should do going forward,” he said.

The eight UDP MLAs joined the BJP earlier this week, increasing the BJP's strength in the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly from two to 10.

The development has left the UDP with four MLAs and significantly altered the composition of the state Assembly.