Shillong, Sep 6: The United Democratic Party (UDP) has been struggling ever since he was forced out of the state cabinet, Paul Lyngdoh, Adviser to the government, West Shillong MLA and senior member of the party, has asserted.
Lyngdoh is one of nine of 12 UDP legislators who are reportedly pondering whether to leave the party in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Two of the other three are also reportedly discussing a move to the National People’s Party (NPP).
“As I had said the other day, a good number of MLAs have established contact with the top BJP leadership. This shows not everything is hunky-dory in the UDP,” Lyngdoh said on the sidelines of a sports-related programme in his constituency.
Lyngdoh had been in cabinet from 2023 until late 2025, roughly two and a half years into the current government’s term. He was dropped in order to give party president and Mairang MLA Metbah Lyngdoh a place in cabinet. The latter’s unpopularity within the UDP is said to have sparked the possibility of mass defection.
“When I was in the cabinet, I tried my level best to perform. That meant party MLAs were also kept busy and many projects and schemes were initiated in their constituencies. After that, you all know what happened,” he said. “It would be wrong on my part to praise myself, but what is happening now indicates the level to which the party is sinking.”
