Shillong: UDP leader Paul Lyngdoh has cited internal contradictions and the party’s failure to recover from its Lok Sabha election defeat as among the factors behind the exodus of 11 of its 12 MLAs, rejecting suggestions that his decision to join the National People’s Party (NPP) was driven by personal resentment over his removal from the Cabinet.
In an exclusive interview with EastMojo after submitting his merger papers to Meghalaya Assembly Speaker Thomas A Sangma on Monday, Lyngdoh said the decline of the United Democratic Party (UDP), one of Meghalaya’s oldest regional parties, could not be attributed to a single incident.
“There were multiple triggers over the course of time,” he said, pointing to what he described as contradictory decisions within the party leadership.
Lyngdoh recalled that following the UDP’s defeat in the Lok Sabha elections, the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) had decided to strengthen its presence in Shillong, recognising the state capital’s importance in connecting the party with other districts.
He said the decision led to efforts to revive the Shillong City unit, including meetings with former members and senior leaders, with around 100 people attending one such gathering.
He also cited the party’s foundation day celebrations on September 11, 2025, which he said were attended by UDP president Metbah Lyngdoh and other senior leaders. However, he claimed that the following day, the party leadership wrote to Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma seeking the removal of UDP legislators from the Cabinet (Paul Lyngdoh and Kyrmen Shylla).
The sequence of events, he said, raised questions about the party leadership’s commitment to strengthening the organisation in Shillong.
Asked whether his departure was driven by personal resentment after being removed from the Cabinet, Lyngdoh rejected the suggestion, arguing that the decisions of the other legislators who left the UDP showed that the developments went beyond his individual circumstances.
“If it was so, there would have been 11 of us in the BJP, and not me in the NPP,” he said.
Explaining why he chose the NPP over the BJP, Lyngdoh said the NPP offered the advantage of being both a state-rooted party and a nationally recognised political force.
“The NPP has statewide presence and, at the same time, it is also a national party. Communication is easier. Being a state-based national party also gives it a dual advantage where it understands the intricacies of politics in Meghalaya and also addresses them from a national perspective,” he said.
Lyngdoh also expressed confidence in the NPP’s prospects in the 2028 Assembly elections, despite questions over anti-incumbency against the ruling party.
Referring to his years in public life, he said his political decisions had been guided by public issues rather than the pursuit of ministerial positions.
He cited his earlier resignation from the Cabinet over the issue of the Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBoSE), pointing out that the Chief Minister had laid the foundation stone for the board’s permanent regional office in Shillong last month.
Dear Reader,
Every day, our team at EastMojo travels through rain, rough roads, and remote hills to bring you stories that matter – stories from your town, your people, your Northeast.
We do this because we believe in truthful, independent journalism. No big corporate backing, no government pressure – just honest reporting by local journalists who live and breathe the same air you do.
But to keep doing this work, we need you. Your small contribution helps us pay our reporters fairly, reach places others ignore, and keep asking the tough questions.
If you believe the Northeast deserves its own fearless voice, stand with us.
Support independent journalism. Be a Member.
Thank you,
Karma Paljor
Editor-in-Chief, eastmojo.com
Questioning the credit given to him for the political fallout within the UDP, Lyngdoh said the reasons behind the exodus would have to be understood through the accounts of the other legislators who had also left the party.
The three MLAs — Lyngdoh, Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar and Nujorki Sungoh — submitted their merger application to the Speaker on Monday. The Speaker said he would seek a legal opinion before deciding on the application. The proposed merger would increase the NPP’s strength in the Assembly from 33 to 36 MLAs, subject to recognition by the Speaker.
Also Read | Meghalaya: UDP could be reduced to one MLA as three legislators eye NPP