Amid heightened public anticipation over the long-standing Assam-Meghalaya border dispute, Meghalaya Cabinet Minister and MDA spokesperson Paul Lyngdoh has clarified that while the state is ready in all aspects to move forward with negotiations, any substantial breakthrough remains unlikely in the immediate future due to the election climate in neighbouring Assam.
In an interaction with Media on Thursday, Lyngdoh stated that Meghalaya has already completed the critical groundwork for the next phase of dialogue, including compiling a comprehensive committee report addressing the disputed stretches along the interstate boundary. The only step pending is a joint field verification, particularly in the sensitive Langpih sector—an area that has historically remained a flashpoint in the decades-old territorial contention.
“The committee report is ready. All that was pending was the joint field visit to affected areas, particularly Langpih. However, the Assam side has not responded, probably due to the panchayat elections and the approaching Assembly polls. With elections at their doorstep, it’s likely they don’t want to risk any decision that might affect their support base,” Lyngdoh remarked, pointing toward the political hesitation that appears to be delaying Assam’s participation in the scheduled ground verification process.
He elaborated that the joint field inspection was mutually agreed upon during the last bilateral meeting held at Hotel Pinewood, but the political environment in Assam—compounded by the recently concluded rural body elections and the looming state Assembly polls—has left the matter in a state of uncertainty.
“In fact, our reports are all set. It’s just the joint field visit to Langpih, which we had agreed upon during our last meeting at Hotel Pinewood, that hasn’t materialised due to these political considerations,” Lyngdoh noted.
When asked whether stakeholders from both sides were likely to return to the negotiation table soon, the minister acknowledged that discussions are indeed expected to resume. However, he cautioned against expecting immediate resolutions or headline-making outcomes.
“Talks are about to resume, but we are not expecting anything large-scale or spectacular to happen before the end of the electioneering process,” Lyngdoh said, underscoring the political sensitivities at play.
As both states gear up for further deliberations post-elections, the border issue—particularly in volatile sectors like Langpih—remains one of the key unresolved legacies between Assam and Meghalaya.
