Shillong (Meghalaya), Aug 19: Three Congress MLAs joined the NPP in Meghalaya, giving the ruling party a majority in the 60-member assembly.
“Today, three out of the total four Congress MLAs joined the ruling party increasing its strength to 31 in the 60-member assembly. What a day it has been!! So happy and delighted to welcome 3 MLAs from Congress to the National Peoples’ Party. The induction of the Congress MLAs to our party is a true demonstration of faith in our government. The merger of Congress MLAs to NPP has increased our strength to 31 in 60 member Meghalaya Legislative Assembly. We are now full majority”, CM Conrad Sangma said.
The NPP now has majority on its own in the state, which is ruled by a coalition, comprising of United Democratic Party (UDP), BJP and HSPDP
The Congress is now reduced to just one MLA who is the Leader of the Opposition RV Lyngdoh.
The number of MLAs in the ruling coalition now stands at 47.
Former state Congress chief Dr Celestine Lyngdoh, Gabriel Wahlang and Charles Marngar met Assembly Speaker Thomas A Sangma and informed him about their decision to join the NPP,
In an order, the Speaker said, “All three members formed two third of members of the Congress Legislature Party in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly….” They will be allotted seats as members of the NPP in the Assembly, he said.
Earlier, the Congress has suspended Gabriel Wahlang and Charles Marngar from the party for six years.
Out of 47 members in the coalition govt, NPP has 31 MLAs, UDP has 12 members in the House, Both HSPDP and BJP has two each.
The opposition TMC has five MLAs, VPP four and the Congress one. There are two Independent MLAs while one seat is vacant in the assembly.
