Shillong, Aug 31: The United Democratic Party (UDP) attempted to quash rumours that the majority of its MLAs are set to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with denials coming from party present Metbah Lyngdoh and even one of the supposed defectors, Ollan Singh Suin.
Metbah Lyngdoh, the Mairang MLA and a cabinet minister, refuted claims that nine of his MLAs, out of a total strength of 12, were set to join the BJP.
“I have met all the MLAs and none of them I have spoken to have mentioned about leaving UDP and joining BJP,” he said.
Reports in the media at the end of last week and into the weekend suggested that Paul Lyngdoh, Lahkmen Rymbui, Mayralborn Syiem, Suin, Matthew Beyondstar Kurbah, Kyrmen Shylla, Synshar Kupar Lyngdoh Thabah, Pius Marwein and Balajied Synrem were all set to don saffron. There were also suggestions that two of the remaining three – Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar and Nujorki Sungoh – would leave for the National People’s Party (NPP).
What sparked the latest rumours of defection were the en masse meeting of several UDP legislators with central government figures in New Delhi. Metbah Lyngdoh maintained that their first meeting was to apprise Union Home Minister Amit Shah on their opposition to the FCRA amendment bill. The UDP chief stated that after they came back to Shillong, there was a meeting of all the legislators in the party office.
On reports that some MLAs are now in Guwahati and another group is in Kolkata, Metbah Lyngdoh clarified that he was informed that four legislators – Marwein, Synrem, Shylla and Thabah left for Kolkata on Saturday evening on personal business. Kurbah, Suin and Rymbui are all in Shillong, he added.
“So the question of them going to Kolkata or Delhi in the last two-three days is wrong which is being passed on to the public unnecessarily,” Metbah Lyngdoh added.
On the question that his MLAs are not happy with his leadership, he stated that he met them recently before the Autumn session of the Assembly and none of them when asked about the matter expressed their dissatisfaction with him being the party chief.
He added that there is no problem within the party at present since he has personally spoken with all his legislators. Lyngdoh urged his MLAs not to be victims of any kind of rumours.
When asked whether the UDP legislators might be unhappy with the NPP, which is the senior party in the governing alliance, Metbah Lyngdoh stated that in any alliance there will always be “grievances, problems and issues,” but these get sorted out in time.
On reports that the turmoil in the UDP arose after the reshuffling of the cabinet in September last year, when Paul Lyngdoh and Shylla was dropped and he and Rymbui were inducted, the party chief said that there is no such discontentment and all are happy with his leadership until now.
“Every decision was taken with the knowledge of everyone who are part and parcel of the party,” Lyngdoh said.
Suin clears the air
Meanwhile, Mawsynram MLA Suin brushed aside speculation that the nine UDP legislators are set to join the BJP, calling the reports “false news.”
Speaking to reporters, Suin said he was unaware of any such move. “I don’t know anything about it. After the Assembly I went to my village and returned only yesterday,” he said.
The UDP legislator also addressed reports of the meeting with Shah. He confirmed that a delegation had met Shah about a month ago to discuss state issues, but said there had been no further political engagement since the Assembly session concluded.
“We have every right to meet central leaders in a democracy. We cannot depend only on the Chief Minister,” he added.
On suggestions of an internal rift and diminishing confidence in party president Metbah Lyngdoh, Suin rejected the claim outright. “Why would we not trust the president? Who will be president beyond him? Speculation is part of politics, but I have full faith in him. There is only one group in UDP led by Metbah Lyngdoh,” he said.
Tongkhar in the dark
Tongkhar, meanwhile, claimed he is in the dark.
“I don’t have much information. Even my closest friends in the UDP don’t have much information about such development, otherwise they would have told me,” Tongkhar told Highland Post.
He admitted that informal discussions may be on, but said no final decision seems to have been taken.
Tongkhar’s defection to the NPP has been rumoured for months now, especially after thousands of his supporters quit the UDP for the NPP. Up until now it was expected that he would jump ship only at the end of his current term to avoid the anti-defection law. However, with enough defections to the BJP, Tongkhar could, theoretically, have a way of switching his loyalties during the term of this Assembly.
Reacting to talk that the UDP is weakening, Tongkhar countered, “Politics is dynamic. To say the UDP has weakened cannot be true. We rose from six to 12 MLAs (between 2018 and 2023). Yes, we declined in the [Lok Sabha] polls [in 2024], but in the [district council elections] we have risen. Ups and downs keep happening.”
He said if the speculation is true, it could be driven by constituency development concerns.
“I don’t see any concrete reason for this latest speculation. If it is true then it can be that MLAs are too concerned for their constituencies and think that by joining the BJP they can bring more development,” he said.
On whether the FCRA issue is linked to the move, Tongkhar said it could be one factor, but added that if UDP legislators do join the ruling party at the Centre, they should have bargained hard for Meghalaya’s core issues.
“If they join, they could have bargained on crucial issues like coal mining, ILP and others that will benefit the people. If all these issues desired by the people are possible to materialise, then only it somehow becomes meaningful for them to go,” he said.
