The legislators joined the BJP in New Delhi after seeking assurances on key Meghalaya issues, including Khasi language recognition and coal mining
Shillong: Eight sitting MLAs of Meghalaya’s United Democratic Party (UDP) joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the party headquarters in New Delhi on Wednesday, increasing the BJP’s strength in the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly from two to 10.
The legislators, Lahkmen Rymbui, Kyrmen Shylla, Balajied Kupar Synrem, Synshar Kupar Roy Lyngdoh Thabah, Pius Marwein, Mayralborn Syiem, Ollan Sing Suin and Matthew Beyondstar Kurbah were inducted in the presence of Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra and other party leaders.
The group had earlier sought assurances from the BJP leadership on several long-pending Meghalaya-specific issues. These include the inclusion of Khasi in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, coal mining, implementation of the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act and relocation of the Harijan Colony from Them Iew Mawlong.
The switch reduces the UDP’s strength from 12 to four MLAs, while the BJP becomes the second-largest party in the Assembly after the National People’s Party (NPP), which has 33 legislators.
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