Shillong, Sep 12: Former legislator and senior UDP leader Dr Jemino Mawthoh joined the BJP in Shillong on Saturday, saying he decided to join after reading the BJP constitution and being convinced by its principles of integral humanism, positive secularism and value-based politics.
“The party is guided by what is incorporated in its constitution. All along, we in Meghalaya have never really experienced any unfortunate incidents happening just because of the BJP,” he said.
Mawthoh, who served as UDP general secretary for nine years and working president for two years and represented Nongthymmai, was inducted at the BJP state office. An Associate Professor at NEHU, he had resigned from UDP in May 2025 and remained party-less before announcing his move to BJP last week.
His induction opened on an unlikely note for a party often branded as Hindu nationalist — with a Christian gospel song and prayer. “How great You are, how great You are…” echoed through the hall before the prayer was led by state BJP chief spokesperson Mariahom Kharkrang, a pointed overture in Christian-majority Meghalaya.
Meghalaya unit chief Rikman Momin and senior legislator Alexander Laloo Hek, among others were also present.
Mawthoh said BJP can provide “national security, checking influx and peaceful co-existence” and claimed the saffron party’s narrative is changing in Meghalaya.
“We may have two MLAs now, but who is to say we may not have more in 2028? NPP earlier had only two, now it has over 20,” he said.
Mawthoh drew a parallel with Congress: “Congress was once seen as a non-tribal party, its symbol was once the cow. Slowly people accepted it. Likewise, people are now accepting the BJP.”
His joining comes amid speculation that eight of UDP’s 12 MLAs may switch to BJP ahead of 2028 polls.
Defending UDP president Metbah Lyngdoh, he said, “There is nothing wrong with the UDP. Under his leadership, with me as general secretary, the party grew from six to 12 MLAs.”
On reports of discontent among UDP legislators in the MDA government, he said it stemmed from “disillusionment for not being able to perform as per expectations.”
