Shillong (Meghalaya) , Jan 18 : PHE Minister Renikton Tongkhar and four other sitting MLAs of the state resigned from the Assembly on today hours ahead of the Election Commission announcing the poll date.
Apart from Renikton Tongkhar, others who resigned include TMC MLA Shitlang Pale, suspended Congress MLAs Mayralborn Syiem and PT Sawkmie and Independent MLA Lambor Malngiang.
With these two resignations from the Congress party, the party has been reduced to zero in the Meghalaya assembly but was the single-largest party in the 2018 Meghalaya assembly elections with a total of 21 seats.
With the resignations of 5 MLAs today , the number of total MLAs resigning in run up to the assembly has gone upto 18.
Tongkhar and the four MLAs who resigned today are likely to join the United Democratic Party (UDP) soon .