SHILLONG: A high-stakes political realignment in Meghalaya will see Paul Lyngdoh sworn in as the 12th minister in the Conrad K. Sangma-led MDA 2 Government at Lok Bhavan in Shillong at 5 pm on Monday, November 2.
Lyngdoh’s imminent induction into the National People’s Party-led administration follows his recent exit from the United Democratic Party to join the NPP.
This cabinet expansion comes in the wake of an unprecedented crisis for the UDP, marking its worst political blow since its inception in 1997. The regional party has witnessed its legislative strength collapse from 12 elected members down to a single MLA in less than 40 days following a mass exodus.
The fallout forced UDP president Metbah Lyngdoh to resign as a Cabinet minister on October 31. Handing his resignation straight to the Chief Minister, he cited the turbulent political landscape and his status as the party’s sole surviving representative in the 60-member House, hinting that more organizational moves are in the pipeline.
The slide began when eight UDP MLAs from the 2023 polls—Lahkmen Rymbui, Ollan Singh Suin, Pius Marwein, Kyrmen Shylla, Mathew Beyondstar Kurbah, Mayralborn Syiem, Balajied Kupar Synrem, and Synshar Kupar Roy—switched allegiance to the BJP.
The Assembly Speaker formally accepted this merger on October 16, pushing the BJP’s tally from two to ten while trimming the UDP down to four.
The party’s woes deepened further when three more legislators—West Shillong MLA Paul Lyngdoh, Mawkyrwat MLA Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar, and Mowkaiaw MLA Nujorki Sungoh—jumped ship to the ruling NPP.
This final blow lifted the NPP’s strength from 33 to 36 seats, leaving Metbah Lyngdoh completely isolated as the UDP’s lone lawmaker.
