UDP serves notices on three MLAs for declaring to join BJP

Shillong, Sep 23: The United Democratic Party, one of the main regional political parties in Meghalaya, has suspended three of its eight legislators for their recent public announcement that they would be joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Interestingly, UDP President Metbah Lyngdoh announced the suspension of three party legislators on Wednesday, hours after they joined the BJP along with five other party legislators in BJP headquarters in New Delhi in the presence of Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and senior BJP leaders.
He said that the show-cause notices were served on Olan Singn Suiñ, Kyrmen Shylla, and Mathew Beyondstar Kurbah on September 21, following their public announcement to join the BJP.
“We had given them time until today (September 23) to appear in person before the State Party Parliamentary Board, or to send their reply in writing if they wished. However, none of the three members has responded to the show-cause notice,” Lyngdoh, who is also the Power Minister in the National People’s Party (NPP)-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government, told reporters.
According to the UDP President, the party unanimously decided to place Shylla, Suiñ, and Kurbah under suspension until further orders, noting they were originally elected as Meghalaya Assembly members on UDP tickets
“We have given the suspension order in writing, and the party will decide its future course of action”, Lyngdoh said. The UDP, which won 12 seats in the 2023 Meghalaya Assembly elections, has been reduced to four members.
Meanwhile, the BJP is now emboldened with ten members in the 60-member House, overtaking the regional party as the second largest entity in the Assembly.
The UDP and the BJP are allies in the MDA coalition, with the NPP holding an absolute majority of 33 legislators – two more than the required simple majority mark in the Assembly.