Shillong, October 13: Eight Meghalaya legislators who recently switched allegiance from the United Democratic Party (UDP) to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) met Assembly Speaker Thomas A. Sangma on Tuesday to formally reaffirm their decision to join the saffron party.
Led by Lahkmen Rymbui, the eight MLAs personally appeared before the Speaker to reiterate their decision, which they had communicated during an earlier visit when the Speaker was reportedly out of station.
Speaking to reporters following the meeting, Rymbui explained that the legislators wanted to personally confirm their position before the Speaker.
“The purpose of the meeting today is that, as you know, when we came that day, our Speaker was out of station. So we have come today physically, all eight of us, reiterating what we communicated on that day,” Rymbui said.
BJP MLA Sanbor Shullai also accompanied the eight legislators during their meeting with the Speaker.
The eight MLAs, formerly associated with the UDP, had joined the BJP on September 23, 2026, in New Delhi, in a significant political development in Meghalaya.
Their move has altered the political landscape in the state ahead of the 2028 Meghalaya Legislative Assembly elections.
Tuesday’s meeting was intended to formally reaffirm their political decision before the Speaker. The outcome of any subsequent procedural examination by the Speaker was not specified.
