Meghalaya Chief Minister and ruling National People’s Party (NPP) president Conrad K Sangma has dismissed speculation of a possible realignment involving United Democratic Party (UDP) legislators and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying it would not unsettle the NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA-II) government.
Responding to reports that several UDP MLAs were weighing a move to the BJP, Sangma said he had no information on the reported development beyond media reports. The Chief Minister insisted that the government is stable and would not be affected by political changes within either party. The political intrigue has also deepened following the recent meeting between UDP legislators and Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah. Sangma’s comments indicate that the government is not treating the speculation as an immediate threat to the coalition’s stability. Deputy Chief Minister and NPP state president Prestone Tynsong also dismissed the speculation.
The UDP with 12 MLAs is a constituent of the NPP-led MDA-II government in Meghalaya. “Our strength alone is 33. We need 30-31 to form the government, so we have already crossed that mark,” he told news agency IANS .
“We are still in the dark about it,” he said, adding that the government would assess the situation and determine the appropriate course of action if any political change actually took place. The UDP, however, said the discussions centred on the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) and other issues concerning Meghalaya. Sangma said any political movement involving the UDP or BJP would be assessed only if it materialised, maintaining that the government remained stable despite the ongoing speculation. Responding to questions on whether a possible movement of UDP MLAs towards the BJP could impact the NPP-led government, Tynsong said the ruling party’s numbers were strong enough to ensure stability.
