Public Health Engineering Minister Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar and four other sitting MLAs of different parties today resigned from the Assembly, hours before the Election Commission announced the election schedule for the State.
Tongkhar, who is a legislator of HSPDP from Mawkyrwat, Trinamool Congress MLA Shitlang Pale (Sutnga-Saipung), suspended Congress MLAs Mayralborn Syiem (Nongpoh) and Process T. Sawkmie (Mawlai) and Independent MLA Lambor Malngiang (Nongkrem), submitted their resignation letter to Assembly Speaker Metbah Lyngdoh.
Tongkhar, Pale and Syiem also today joined the UDP. They were welcomed into the party by UDP president Metbah Lyngdoh.
Sawkmie however would be inducted into the UDP at a later date as he could not attend the party’s induction programme today due to certain unavoidable circumstances.
So far, 18 Meghalaya MLAs have resigned from the House and their respective parties and joined different parties in less than two months.
Meanwhile, the People’s Democratic Front (PDF) in its general meeting here today has announced its list of eight candidates for the February 27 Assembly elections.
Besides the PDF president Banteidor Lyngdoh who is seeking reelection from Mawkynrew constituency, the candidates include sitting MLA Gavin Mylliem (Sohra), Auspicious Lyngdoh Mawphlang (Mawphlang), Egenstar Kurkalang (Nongkrem), Shembok Garod (Raliang), Romeo Phira Rani (East Shillong), Donlang Sohkhlet (Umsning) and Roswell Shadap (Mawhati).
