The United Democratic Party (UDP) on Tuesday withdrew its support from the National People's Party (NPP)-led coalition government in Meghalaya. The decision came after the party's strength in the state Assembly fell to just one MLA, according to a report by the Press Trust of India (PTI), carried by India Today from Shillong.
Key points
- The UDP withdrew support from the NPP-led coalition after its Assembly strength dropped from 12 MLAs to one.
- The move does not affect the government of Chief Minister Conrad Sangma.
- Eight UDP MLAs merged with the BJP and three joined the NPP, and the Speaker recognised both mergers.
- UDP president Metbah Lyngdoh, the party's lone MLA, had resigned as a minister on October 31.
What the party decided
The UDP took the decision at a meeting of its Central Executive Committee. The meeting reviewed the recent political developments that left the regional party with a single legislator in the 60-member Assembly. UDP president Metbah Lyngdoh, general secretary T Chyne and other senior leaders attended.
"The Central Executive Committee recommended that our lone MLA withdraw support from the coalition government. A letter to this effect will be sent to the chief minister," Chyne told reporters, according to PTI.
Metbah Lyngdoh is the UDP's only remaining MLA. He had already resigned as a minister on October 31.
How the UDP lost its MLAs
Eleven of the UDP's 12 MLAs switched to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the NPP in recent weeks. All three parties are part of the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA). Eight UDP MLAs merged with the BJP in September, while three others joined the NPP last month. The Assembly Speaker later recognised both mergers.
According to the report, the trouble began after a Cabinet reshuffle in September 2025. Metbah Lyngdoh had recommended that Chief Minister Conrad Sangma remove two senior UDP leaders, Paul Lyngdoh and Kyrmen Shylla, from the Cabinet. This caused resentment among a section of the party.
Eight UDP legislators, including Kyrmen Shylla, then joined the BJP. Paul Lyngdoh and two other legislators later joined the NPP, which is led by the chief minister. Paul Lyngdoh was sworn in as a minister on Monday.
Impact on the government
The UDP had been part of the MDA since the alliance was formed in 2018. It won six seats in the 2018 Assembly elections and raised its tally to 12 in 2023, becoming the second-largest party in the state.
The NPP now has 36 MLAs and the BJP has 10 in the 60-member House. India Today reported that the UDP's withdrawal puts the party outside the ruling coalition but does not affect the stability of the Sangma government.
The UDP is expected to send its letter withdrawing support to the chief minister, as Chyne said.
