Nongkrem MDC Lambor Malngiang is likely to contest next year’s district council polls on a National People’s Party (NPP) ticket.
However, members of his current party, the United Democratic Party (UDP), are calling for disciplinary action to be taken against him while he is still officially a party member.
These include leader of the UDP in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), Titosstarwell Chyne.
Malngiang contested this year’s Assembly election on a UDP ticket but lost. He was elected in 2018 to the Nongkrem Assembly seat as an independent but joined the UDP before the 2023 elections. That did not help him keep his seat, however, as former legislator Ardent M Basaiawmoit rode a wave of support to win his old seat again.
Yesterday, a day before the winter session of the KHADC began, Malgniang decided to support the NPP-led executive committee under Pyniaid Sing Syiem.
The parliamentary party of the UDP held a meeting on the matter today and resolved to urge party leaders to take disciplinary action against Malngiang.
Chyne termed Malngiang’s move as treachery against the UDP. “We will be writing to the president of the party demanding disciplinary action against Malngiang,” he told reporters.
Senior party leader Bindo M Lanong had also decided to extend support to the NPP-led EC. Chyne said that the party is still discussing Lanong’s move. Unlike Malngiang, Lanong was not elected to the house but was a nominated MDC.
Ironically, Lanong went against the party line to run as an independent in the Nongkrem Assembly election after the UDP picked Malngiang.
However, the party has been unwilling or incapable of taking strong action against Lanong, who is a veteran in politics, one of the founders of the UDP and a former Deputy Chief Minister.
