Six MLAs, who are supporting the National People’s Party-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government, have formed a sub-alliance.
The sub-alliance, named as United Progressive Front (UPF), has been formed not to “create threat but to give more strength” to the stability of the coalition government.
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The UPF comprised two political parties – People’s Democratic Front (PDF), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and one Independent.
The UPF has four MLAs of the PDF – two ministers, Hamletson Dohling and Banteidor Lyngdoh, Gavin M Mylliem, Jason S Mawlong, one NCP legislator, Saleng A. Sangma and one Independent, Lambor Malngiang.
The six MLAs submitted a letter jointly signed by them to the office of Assembly deputy speaker Timothy Dalbot Shira at the Assembly Secretariat at Khyndai Lad in Shillong on Monday.
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The letter was received by the Assembly Secretariat staff as the deputy speaker was not in office.
Speaking to reporters, Meghalaya sports minister Banteidor Lyngdoh said the Front was formed by the six MLAs mainly to work together among them.
“By having this sub-alliance within the MDA government, it will be for the benefit of the state and overall development and raise the issues together,” Lyngdoh said.
Asked if more MLAs would be part of the sub-alliance (UPF), Lyngdoh said that and that time will tell since the alliance has just been formed.
Asked if the formation of the UDF would be a threat to the MDA government led by chief minister Conrad K. Sangma, urban affairs minister Hamletson Dohling said, “The UPF will ensure that the MDA government runs smoothly and we have faith in the leadership of chief minister Conrad K. Sangma.”
“The UPF will give more strength to the MDA government,” added Dohling.
The NPP which is leading the MDA government has 21 MLAs.
But the MDA government now has different alliances within the same coalition.
Besides the UPF, the MDA government also has the Regional Democratic Alliance (RDA), which is a combination of six MLAs from the United Democratic Party (UDP) and two MLAs of the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP).
The RDA now has 10 legislators as two Independent MLAs – Samuel Sangma and S K Sun have become associate members of the UDP.
With the existence of many sub alliances within the coalition MDA, only time will tell if the formation of such alliances will create contradictions and tug of war among them.