More than two months after losing 12 MLAs, the Congress in Meghalaya has joined the National People’s Party-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is a minor constituent of the alliance.
The five remaining Congress MLAs on Tuesday met Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma and submitted a letter for formally joining the coalition government. The Chief Minister welcomed the MLAs into the alliance in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong.
“We wish to support you and the MDA to strengthen the government’s arms and decision-making so as to ensure that our joined efforts will take the State forward, in the general interest of its citizens,” read the letter signed by the five MLAs, underlining their decision to join the government from February 8. The five MLAs are M. Ampareen Lyngdoh, P.T. Sawkmie, Mayralborn Syiem, Kimfa S. Marbaniang and Mohendro Rapsang.
Ms. Lyngdoh, leader of the Congress Legislature Party, defended the move. “In this day and age, you can only save yourselves. The five of us are protecting each other,” she said.
She also deflected questions on the Congress becoming an ally of the BJP by virtue of joining the alliance.
Along with Nagaland and Tripura, Assembly elections in Meghalaya are due by February 2023.
The Congress had won 21 constituencies in the 2018 Assembly elections in Meghalaya but its seat count went down to 17, of whom 12 joined the Trinamool Congress in November 2021.
This is not the first time that the Congress and the BJP have come together, directly or indirectly, in the northeast.
