# Meghalaya UDP Sees Eleven Lawmakers Defect As BJP And NPP Gain Ground

> Eleven United Democratic Party legislators in Meghalaya have joined rival parties, leaving party chief Metbah Lyngdoh as the sole representative and prompting his cabinet resignation.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Politics · **Published:** 2026-11-01 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/politics/meghalaya-men-udp-ke-gyaraha-vidhayakon-ne-chhora-satha-bjp-aura-npp-ki-siten-barhin-54472 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Meghalaya Politics, UDP, BJP Meghalaya, NPP, Metbah Lyngdoh, Conrad Sangma

A dramatic realignment has reshaped the legislative landscape of Meghalaya as eleven elected representatives from the United Democratic Party decided to switch allegiances. The regional outfit, which previously held twelve seats in the sixty-member state assembly, has been abruptly reduced to a solitary member. This coordinated shift has significantly expanded the legislative numbers of both the Bharatiya Janata Party and the ruling National People's Party across the state.

## Shifting Numbers Across The Legislative Assembly
Following this unexpected realignment, the seat distribution in the state legislature has altered considerably. Out of the eleven lawmakers who broke ranks, a larger faction of eight legislators chose to integrate with the BJP. Concurrently, a separate group of three members opted to align themselves with Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma's NPP. With these inclusions, the BJP saw its representation jump from two seats to ten. Meanwhile, the NPP strengthened its standing significantly, reaching a total tally of thirty-six members in the legislative house.

## Lawmakers Who Switched Parties
The group joining the BJP features former ministers Lahkmen Rymbui and Kyrmen Shylla. They are accompanied by Pius Marwein, Mayralborn Syiem, Mathew Beyondstar Kurbah, Olan Singh Suin, Balajied Kupar Synrem, and Synshar Kupar Roy Lyngdoh Thabah. On the other hand, the three legislators who moved to the NPP camp are Paul Lyngdoh, Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar, and Nujorki Sungoh. The simultaneous departure of these key figures has stripped the regional party of almost its entire legislative wing in one sudden move.

## Constitutional Merger Provisions And Legal Status
To ensure their legislative seats remained protected under the anti-defection framework, the lawmakers invoked specific constitutional safeguards. An official notification issued by the office of the assembly speaker formally approved the merger of the eight legislators into the BJP. Similarly, the three members who transitioned to the NPP justified their move by citing compliance with the requirement of representing at least two-thirds of the legislative contingent. Meeting the benchmarks laid down under paragraph 4 of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution shielded the departing members from potential disqualification.

## Party Chief Metbah Lyngdoh Steps Down From Cabinet
Confronted with the departure of almost all his legislative colleagues, UDP president Metbah Lyngdoh tendered his resignation from the state cabinet on Saturday. Submitting his paper directly to Conrad K. Sangma, Lyngdoh cited the fast-unfolding developments as the primary reason behind his choice. He clarified that the step was voluntary, dismissing suggestions of external pressure. Having secured twelve seats in the 2023 assembly elections to emerge as the second-largest party, the UDP now faces a daunting task to rebuild its presence with only Lyngdoh remaining in the assembly.

## What this means for you
The sudden shift in assembly numbers directly consolidates the state government while fundamentally altering the regional political balance.

- **Across India:** National political parties continue to expand their footprint across the northeastern region. This trend highlights the growing difficulty regional formations face in retaining their legislative ranks.
- **In Meghalaya:** The ruling NPP and its partner BJP now command an overwhelming legislative majority. Having such a decisive edge ensures smooth sailing for governance decisions, policies, and legislative proposals.
- **For Voters:** Constituencies that elected regional party representatives are now under the fold of larger governing parties. This transition may alter local administrative priorities and fund allocations for developmental projects.
- **For The Opposition:** With the former second-largest party losing almost all its members, legislative scrutiny of the administration will be substantially curtailed. A depleted opposition bench reduces resistance against major policy moves on the assembly floor.

## Why this happened
The sudden mass departure was driven by simmering internal leadership disagreements and contentious ministerial changes within the regional party.

- **Cabinet Reshuffle Discontent:** A reshuffle in September 2025 replaced Paul Lyngdoh and Kyrmen Shylla with Metbah Lyngdoh and Lahkmen Rymbui. This realignment triggered friction among prominent party leaders who felt sidelined.
- **Proximity To Power:** Lawmakers sought long-term stability and greater influence within the governing coalition. Aligning directly with the NPP and BJP offered them stronger leverage and governmental resources.
- **Constitutional Exemptions:** Paragraph 4 of the Tenth Schedule requires a two-thirds majority to validate a merger without triggering disqualification. Dividing the defectors into calculated fractions allowed them to satisfy the statutory criteria cleanly.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. How many UDP lawmakers have left the party?
A total of 11 out of the 12 UDP legislators have departed from the party.

### 2. Which parties did the defecting lawmakers join?
Eight legislators joined the BJP, while the remaining three aligned with the NPP.

### 3. What is the new seat count for the BJP and NPP in the assembly?
The BJP now holds 10 seats in the assembly, while the NPP has increased its tally to 36.

### 4. Will the departing lawmakers face disqualification?
No, because the movements met the two-thirds merger criteria under the Tenth Schedule, protecting their assembly membership.

### 5. What action did UDP chief Metbah Lyngdoh take?
Left as the sole party representative, Metbah Lyngdoh submitted his resignation from the state cabinet to the Chief Minister.

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