Meghalaya: 3 Congress MLAs likely to join National People's Party ahead of Gambegre bypolls

Three Meghalaya Congress MLAs are planning to join the National People's Party (NPP) ahead of the Gambegre bypolls, according to reports. 

MLAs – Gabriel Wahlang, Charles Marngar, and Celestine Lyngdoh, have reportedly decided to join the NPP.

Sources revealed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may reach out to Tura MP Saleng A. Sangma to join its fold, as Congress in Meghalaya is losing ITS ground, despite its electoral success in Garo Hills district.

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Meanwhile, political pundits say that Congress tried to project their victory in Lok Sabha election but the outcome has been otherwise, and now most Congress supporters in Garo Hills feel cheated and look to shift their loyalties to other parties.

Congress had won 5 seats in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly elections of 2023, but was reduced to 4 this year with Saleng wining the Tura MP seat. With 3 MLAs set to join NPP, its number would reduce to just 1.

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Interestingly, this development comes when the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) chief and former Shillong MP, Vincent H Pala, is in the United States of America.

NPP already has 28 MLAs; with the addition of 3 more MLAs, its number would swell to 31, giving it an absolute majority in the 60-member Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.