The swearing-in ceremony of a new member of the Meghalaya Council of Ministers will be held at Lok Bhavan in Shillong at 5 pm on Monday, November 2, amid a major political realignment within the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) Government. Paul Lyngdoh, who recently left the United Democratic Party (UDP) to join the National People’s Party (NPP), is likely to be inducted as the 12th minister in the Conrad K. Sangma-led MDA 2 Government.
The development comes as the UDP faces its biggest political setback since its formation in 1997. In less than 40 days, the party has been reduced from 12 elected legislators to just one, following the departure of 11 MLAs.
UDP president Metbah Lyngdoh resigned as a Cabinet minister on October 31, following the exit of almost the entire legislative contingent of the party. He submitted his resignation to Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma with immediate effect, citing the prevailing political situation and his position as the UDP’s lone representative in the 60-member Assembly. He indicated that his resignation was the first decision taken by the party and that further decisions would follow.
The UDP, which won 12 seats in the 2023 Assembly elections, first lost eight legislators — Lahkmen Rymbui, Ollan Singh Suin, Pius Marwein, Kyrmen Shylla, Mathew Beyondstar Kurbah, Mayralborn Syiem, Balajied Kupar Synrem and Synshar Kupar Roy — who merged with the BJP. The Speaker recognised the eight-member merger on October 16, taking the BJP’s strength from two to 10 and reducing the UDP’s tally to four.
The party subsequently lost three more legislators when Paul Lyngdoh of West Shillong, Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar of Mawkyrwat and Nujorki Sungoh of Mowkaiaw joined the NPP. Their entry increased the NPP’s strength from 33 to 36, leaving Metbah as the UDP’s sole MLA.
