New Delhi, Aug 30: The second round of meeting between nine UDP legislators and BJP high command in Delhi today ended with a final deal.
Highly placed sources said the hour-long meeting at BJP headquarters cleared all modalities — merger route, cabinet share and legal protection. The nine, including two sitting ministers, will return to Shillong tonight, resign from UDP as a group and formally join BJP next week in presence of central leaders.
It will be a clean two-thirds merger. Nine out of twelve crosses the anti-defection mark of eight, so Speaker Thomas A Sangma cannot disqualify. The three left with UDP president Metbah Lyngdoh will be left to fight for the party symbol at the Election Commission.
BJP will jump from 2 to 11 MLAs and become the second largest party after NPP’s 33. The party will now seek three berths and Deputy CM post against lone minister A L Hek.
The five TMC MLAs are in separate talks and may follow soon. TMC remains tight-lipped.
Formal announcement is likely in 48 hours.
