Talks between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and as many as nine of the 12 United Democratic Party (UDP) legislators over a possible political realignment in Meghalaya have intensified, with sources indicating that two to three meetings have already been held and that negotiations could yield a positive outcome within this week.
The State BJP leaders are yet to be called to Delhi and, if the negotiations materialise into a political arrangement, they are expected to travel to the national capital. The State leaders are keeping their fingers crossed as they await the Centre’s nod.
“The talks not out of tract, we expect some positive outcome within this week,” BJP sources said.
The possibility of nine UDP legislators merging with the BJP cannot be ruled out, according to sources familiar with the developments, even as UDP president Metbah Lyngdoh has denied that any such move is under way.
The reported negotiations assume significance beyond Meghalaya, as the possible consolidation of a substantial section of the UDP Legislature Party could alter the State’s political equations and strengthen the BJP’s footprint in the Northeast.
Sources within UDP indicated taht the next phase of negotiations would depend largely on how many of the demands the Centre is willing to accept.
The legislators have reportedly placed a set of demands before any possible move to the BJP.
These are understood to include issues concerning the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), coal-related matters and the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA) Amendment, 2019, besides other State-specific concerns.
According to BJP sources, a majority of the demands have received a favourable response, while the party has remained non-committal on certain issues.
BJP leader Sambit Patra is expected to brief Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the demands and assess the extent to which they can be accommodated. The remaining issues are likely to be examined by the Centre before the talks proceed further.
Sources also indicated that the MRSSA Amendment, 2019, could be among the issues being considered by the Ministry of Home Affairs, while the FCRA and coal-related matters are also understood to figure in the negotiations.
The BJP sources said any political change would not have an impact on the functioning of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) Government, suggesting that securing a larger share of Cabinet berths may not be the immediate objective of the reported negotiations.
The developments come amid reports that nine of the UDP’s 12 MLAs, including senior UDP leader and Cabinet Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, are in discussions with the BJP over a possible switch.
Rymbui had earlier described the reported possibility of eight UDP legislators joining the BJP as a matter of “probability” rather than mere speculation, while saying that political developments in Meghalaya could take an unexpected turn.
He, however, stopped short of confirming any move by the legislators, saying that what is expected in politics does not always materialise and that developments can unfold differently.
Rymbui said the UDP, as an organisation, remained united but individual legislators would have to make their own political decisions after carefully assessing the circumstances.
With two to three rounds of talks reportedly already held, the negotiations have entered a crucial phase. The Centre’s response to the demands is likely to determine whether the discussions progress towards a formal political arrangement, even as the UDP leadership continues to deny any imminent move.
