Paul Lyngdoh takes oath as Meghalaya minister after quitting UDP for NPP

Guwahati: MLA Paul Lyngdoh who quitted United Democratic Party (UDP) and joined National People’s Party (NPP) was sworn in as a Cabinet minister in the Meghalaya government on Monday.

Governor C H Vijayashankar administered the oath of office to the West Shillong legislator. On October 31 Metbah Lyngdoh cabinet minister in the Meghalaya council of ministers resigned.

Metab is MLA from United Democratic Party (UDP) which has faced an exodus of MLAs in recent times and is reduced to just one MLA. He is also President of UDP.

Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and Deputy Chief Ministers Prestone Tynsong and Sniawbhalang Dhar were present at the swearing-in ceremony of Lyngdoh, a former tourism minister.

While eight UDP MLAs joined the BJP in September, three others, including Paul Lyngdoh, joined the NPP, the party led by the chief minister, last month.

Metab was in charge of power, Textiles Department, Water Resources Department, and Taxation Department.

Lyngdoh has said the party’s Central Executive Committee would deliberate on the political developments and determine the next course of action in consultation with its leaders.

Meghalaya Assembly Speaker Thomas A Sangma had formally recognised the merger of three UDP legislators with NPP.

The Speaker had earlier accepted the merger of eight UDP MLAs with the BJP on October 16. The Speaker recognised the merger under Paragraph 4 of the Tenth Schedule to the Constitution.

Meghalaya is going to assembly polls in the 2028 Assembly elections. BJP had two MLAs. With these 10 MLAs, the BJP became the second-largest party in the Meghalaya Assembly after the NPP.