In a rapid political development, eight former legislators of the United Democratic Party (UDP) formally submitted a merger letter to the Meghalaya Assembly, indicating their alignment with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The move followed the UDP’s filing of a petition seeking the disqualification of the same eight legislators under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution. The letters were handed to Assembly Adviser (Legislation) Andrew Simons, as Speaker Thomas A. Sangma is currently abroad on a post‑conference study tour.
Simons confirmed receipt of the letter, noting that the legislators had submitted the required documents and that the matter would be processed accordingly. Seven of the eight members—Lahkmen Rymbui, Kyrmen Shylla, Olan Singh Suin, Mathew Beyondstar Kurbah, Pius Marwein, Synshar Thabah and Balajied Synrem—were present at the handover, accompanied by BJP state president Rikman G. Momin and parliamentary leader and minister Sanbor Shullai. Mayralborn Syiem, who joined the BJP earlier that week in New Delhi, was not physically present but his paperwork was included in the submission.
The Speaker will review both the merger letter and the UDP’s disqualification petition in line with constitutional provisions and assembly rules before issuing any official order. Simons added that the question of whether the merger constitutes a union of the UDP Legislature Party with the BJP would require legal scrutiny, as four UDP legislators remain with the regional party.
The addition of the eight former UDP members boosts the BJP’s seat count in the 60‑member Meghalaya Assembly from two to ten, making it the second‑largest party in the house. The BJP remains an ally in the National People’s Party‑led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance, where the NPP holds 33 seats—two more than the majority threshold in the assembly.
