Shillong: Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee president Vincent H Pala has described former minister Paul Lyngdoh as a “wounded lion” following his move from the United Democratic Party (UDP) to the National People’s Party (NPP), while predicting that eight former UDP legislators who joined the BJP could eventually become disillusioned with the party.
Reacting to the political realignment involving 11 former UDP legislators, three of whom joined the NPP and eight the BJP, Pala said those who opted for the BJP had done so with hopes of political gains but questioned whether the party would fulfil its promises.
“Many of them have joined the BJP based on dreams and hopes, but I have seen that the BJP never keeps its promises and hopes and dreams. I am sure by 2028 people will deliver that hope to the MLAs,” Pala said on Monday.
On Lyngdoh’s decision to join the NPP, Pala recalled the former minister’s political journey and setbacks within the UDP, comparing him to a wounded lion.
Pala said Lyngdoh had performed well after joining the UDP but had subsequently suffered another setback within the party, prompting his latest political move.
“He is a wounded lion after he was shot by his own party at the beginning with a bow and arrow, and then he joined the UDP under the drum and performed well, but again another shot. So he is a wounded lion,” Pala said.
He added that Lyngdoh’s political future in the NPP would depend on how the party treated him, while leaving open the question of whether he would be inducted into the state Cabinet.
“Let us see how the lion will do in the NPP. I am expecting that he should do well. Whether he will be a minister or not, we are yet to see,” Pala said.
The Congress leader also drew a parallel with the Trinamool Congress (TMC), claiming that several leaders who joined the party with high expectations eventually became disillusioned.
He suggested that a similar situation could unfold among the former UDP legislators who have now joined the BJP.
“If the promises will not be there, then I think they may go. Many joined the TMC with high hopes, but towards the end, none of them came back except for one or two. The same thing will happen to them,” Pala said.
His remarks come amid a series of defections that have reshaped Meghalaya’s political landscape, with former UDP legislators joining both the NPP and BJP ahead of the 2028 Assembly elections.
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