Shillong: Three MLAs in Meghalaya, including two of the ruling NPP, resigned from the state assembly to join the BJP, just a few months ahead of the elections.
Those who put in their papers are HM Shangpliang of Trinamool Congress and Benedic R Marak and Ferlin CA Sangma of the National People’s Party (NPP).
Shangpliang is an MLA from the Mawsynram constituency while Marak and Ferlin Sangma represent Raksamgre and Selsella constituencies respectively.
They submitted their resignation to Assembly Speaker, Metbah Lyngdoh. Sources close to the MLAs said all eight MLAs would join the NPP soon.
With today’s resignation, the number of NPP MLAs in the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly has come down to 21 from 23.
On the other hand, with the resignation of one MLA, the number of TMC legislators was reduced to 11.
In November last year, 12 Congress MLAs, including former CM Mukul Sangma, joined the Trinamool Congress.
The BJP, which has two MLAs in Meghalaya at present, is a junior ally of the NPP-led six-party coalition government.
Even though the NPP, headed by Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, is an important constituent of the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), its relation with the saffron party is gradually souring over various issues, especially after the arrest of BJP Meghalaya unit vice-president Bernard N. Marak.
Earlier in September, BJP‘s National Vice-President and party’s Meghalaya in-charge M. Chuba Ao had said that the party may withdraw support from the NPP-led Meghalaya government within a month.