Less than a month after eight of its 12 MLAs joined the BJP, Meghalaya's regional United Democratic Party is set to lose three more. On Monday the UDP expelled MLAs Paul Lyngdoh, Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar and Nujorki Sungoh after they applied to Speaker Thomas A. Sangma to merge with the National People's Party.
UDP president and Power Minister Metbah Lyngdoh, who will be the party's lone MLA in a few days, said the expulsion came at an emergency meeting. The Speaker said he would seek a legal opinion and decide within a few days, and that this was the fifth merger application during his tenure. If recognised, the NPP's strength in the 60-member House will rise to 36.