The defections left him as the UDP’s sole legislator in the state assembly. Meghalaya minister and United Democratic Party (UDP) president Metbah Lyngdoh resigned from the state Cabinet on Saturday, days after 11 of the party’s 12 MLAs joined the Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP ) and the ruling National People’s Party ( NPP ).
Paul Lyngdoh pointed to internal divisions and a lack of mutual respect within the party, HT reported earlier . Addressing a press conference on Saturday, Lyngdoh said he had submitted his resignation to Sangma after assessing the political situation and recent developments within the party. “The decisions we have taken today were not made under any form of pressure.
The UDP and the NPP, along with the BJP, are part of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA), led by chief minister Conrad K Sangma . He held the portfolios of power, textiles, water resources, and taxation. The resignation followed a series of defections.
Lyngdoh said the UDP’s central executive committee would discuss the developments and decide on the party’s next steps in consultation with its leaders and office-bearers. Rejecting speculation that he had been forced to resign, the UDP president said the decision was voluntary. We will always ensure that our decisions are well-considered and the right ones,” he said. “That respect I did not get in the UDP,” he said, rejecting the suggestion that he had left simply because he lost his Cabinet berth.
Eight UDP MLAs merged with the BJP in September, while three others merged with the NPP earlier this month.
