Shillong: The United Democratic Party (UDP) will decide on possible disciplinary action against its MLAs who have been holding consultations with supporters in their constituencies amid reports of a possible move by eight legislators to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), party general secretary Titosstarwell Chyne said.
Speaking to reporters, Chyne said the party’s disciplinary committee or state parliamentary board would take a call on the matter.
“As a party, we will sit as a disciplinary committee or the state parliamentary board. We will take a call on this,” he said.
Asked whether the party would consider suspending the MLAs or issuing showcause notices, Chyne said the decision could not be taken by him alone.
“ No, that I cannot decide alone. As a party, we have to decide,” he said, adding that showcause notices might be issued to the legislators.
On UDP working president and West Shillong MLA Paul Lyngdoh’s questions over the party leadership, Chyne said Lyngdoh had not regularly attended the party’s meetings.
“The question about leadership issue, that also right from the day there was a reshuffle of minister. So had he Paul Lyngdoh been serious about that, he should attend the meeting,” Chyne said.
He claimed that the UDP holds meetings from time to time, but Lyngdoh had attended only the most recent central executive committee (CEC) meeting, which he said was the first meeting the MLA had attended in a year.
“So I don’t understand why he questions about the leadership issue,” Chyne said.
Lyngdoh had earlier raised concerns about the party’s direction and the performance of its ministers following the cabinet reshuffle, according to reports.
The statements come amid growing speculation over the political future of several UDP legislators.
Khliehriat MLA Kyrmen Shylla held a public meeting at Byndihati in East Jaintia Hills on Wednesday, where he discussed the possibility of joining the BJP with party leaders, village headmen and supporters.
According to reports, Shylla said eight UDP MLAs were set to join the BJP after receiving assurances from the party’s central leadership on issues including coal mining, Khasi language inclusion in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA) and relocation of the Harijan Colony from Them Ïew Mawlong.
He said the final decision on his political future would be left to his supporters. He also denied having any hard feelings against the UDP or its president, Metbah Lyngdoh.
Earlier, Mawsynram MLA Ollan Sing Suin had confirmed that eight UDP legislators were in talks with the BJP. The reports have also linked other party MLAs to constituency-level consultations and discussions about their political future.
The UDP has 12 MLAs in the Meghalaya Assembly. Six legislators, including Paul Lyngdoh, Kyrmen Shylla, Pius Marwein, Mayralborn Syiem, Matthew Beyondstar Kurbah and Synshar Kupar Lyngdoh, had stayed away from the party’s emergency CEC meeting and foundation day celebrations on September 11.
Chyne maintained that the MLAs in question remained members of the UDP and had not formally left the party.
“They are all still with the party because they have not left the party till today,” he said.
Asked why the reported differences had emerged within the party, particularly with eight of its 12 MLAs allegedly considering a move to the BJP, Chyne said there were several reasons but declined to disclose them.
“There are so many things. There are so many things, but I cannot reveal,” he said.
He denied that the developments were linked to the party leadership.
“Nothing with party leadership, but there are other reasons,” Chyne said, describing the reported decisions as individual choices.
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“As of now, as a party, we are intact. If individual MLA joining the BJP also, it’s not the party joining the BJP,” he said.
On whether the situation could be repaired, Chyne said the UDP had faced similar departures in the past but had continued to function as a party.
“I have told you many times. In the last few years also many MLAs left the party, but still as a party we remain, but we will get more MLAs from the party,” he said.
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