Shillong, Nov 3 The United Democratic Party, which was left with just one MLA following a political churn, on Tuesday withdrew support from the NPP-led coalition government in Meghalaya, a senior UDP leader said.
The development, however, will not have any impact on the Conrad Sangma-led state government. The UDP’s lone MLA, party president Metbah Lyngdoh, resigned as a minister on October 31.
The UDP’s decision came weeks after 11 of its 12 MLAs switched to the BJP and the NPP. All three parties are part of the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance.
The decision to withdraw support from the government was taken at a meeting of the UDP’s Central Executive Committee, which reviewed the recent political developments that have left the regional party with just one legislator in the 60-member Assembly.
Lyngdoh, party general secretary T Chyne and other senior leaders attended the meeting.
“The Central Executive Committee recommended that our lone MLA withdraw support from the coalition government. A letter to this effect will be sent to the chief minister,” Chyne told reporters.
The UDP’s decision came after eight of its MLAs merged with the BJP in September and three others joined the NPP last month.
The Assembly Speaker subsequently recognised both mergers, reducing the party’s legislative strength from 12 to one.
The UDP, a constituent of the MDA since its formation in 2018, had won six seats in the 2018 Assembly elections and increased its tally to 12 in 2023, emerging as the second-largest party in the state.
The roots of the present crisis can be traced to the September 2025 Cabinet reshuffle, when party president Metbah Lyngdoh recommended to the chief minister that two senior UDP leaders — Paul Lyngdoh and Kyrmen Shylla — be removed from the Cabinet.
The move triggered resentment among a section in the UDP. The discontent eventually culminated in eight UDP legislators, including Kyrmen Shylla, joining the BJP.
Paul Lyngdoh and two other legislators later joined the NPP, the party led by the chief minister. Lyngdoh was sworn in as a minister on Monday.
The NPP now has 36 MLAs and the BJP 10 in the 60-member House.
(PTI News)
