Are you working for the people, or for yourself?
That is the question many in the public are asking today, following the defection of eight MLAs from the regional United Democratic Party (UDP) to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The MLAs claim their move is in the interest of the people — to fulfil long-pending demands of the indigenous Khasi community. These include the inclusion of the Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, proper implementation of the Meghalaya Residents’ Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), regulated coal mining, among other issues.
On paper, these are legitimate and important concerns — issues that resonate strongly with the public. But the real question is: is there genuine intent to deliver on these promises, or are these just convenient justifications to dress up a political switch?
Reports suggest that internal disagreements within the UDP had been brewing long before the decision to defect. But then again, internal conflict is hardly new in politics — it’s almost a prerequisite. If memory serves right, a similar episode unfolded in 2021, when 12 out of 17 Congress MLAs defected to the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC). Different players, same script.
For months now, BJP leaders have been confidently stating that several MLAs from different parties were keen to join them. Today, that claim has materialised. After all, who wouldn’t want to be on the side that holds power? In politics, gravity works differently — everything tends to fall towards the ruling side.
“History repeats itself,” they say — and in Meghalaya politics, it doesn’t just repeat, it occasionally replays with better production quality.
Let’s be honest: shifting loyalties, broken promises, sudden ideological transformations, and yesterday’s critics turning into today’s admirers — none of this surprises the public anymore. If anything, it has become part of the political entertainment package. The only thing missing is a disclaimer: “Any resemblance to past events is purely intentional.”
The pressing question now is — will the BJP be able to consolidate power in the 2028 assembly elections with the addition of these eight MLAs? And more importantly, will the public continue to place their trust in them?
History offers some cautionary tales. There have been instances where defections have backfired. Take 2018, for example: Martin M. Danggo resigned from Congress to join the NPP, triggering a by-election. The public responded decisively — by voting him out and electing UDP’s Pius Marwein instead. Similarly, of the 12 Congress MLAs who defected to the TMC in 2021, only five managed to win again. Clearly, voters do keep score.
So, looking at Meghalaya’s political history, can we confidently say that this decision by the eight UDP MLAs is grounded in public interest? Or will it come back to haunt them in 2028?
Beyond party lines, this development also raises larger questions about the stability of the state’s political landscape. Does this shift have the potential to shake the current government? Or is the leadership firmly in control?
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, for his part, made it look like he was unbothered. Addressing students in Shillong during an academic event, he stated that he is not under political pressure over the current political developments. This was a direct response to East Shillong MLA Ampareen Lyngdoh, who had suggested that the Chief Minister seemed be be under pressure. Sangma was quick to dismiss that notion, asserting that all is well within his party — the National People’s Party (NPP).
Calm on the surface, perhaps. But as politics has taught us time and again, calm waters often hide strong undercurrents.
With less than two years to go before the next elections, the recent developments suggest that this defection may just be the beginning of a larger political reshuffle in Meghalaya. Whether it leads to stability, upheaval, or yet another round of political déjà vu — remains to be seen.
One thing, however, is certain: in Meghalaya politics, the plot is always thickening. And the audience — the public — is watching closely.
