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Meghalaya Political Upheaval: 8 UDP MLAs Join BJP, Party Becomes Second Largest.
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News18•23-09-2026, 11:30
Meghalaya Political Upheaval: 8 UDP MLAs Join BJP, Party Becomes Second Largest.
- •8 out of 12 UDP MLAs in Meghalaya have joined BJP, increasing BJP's strength from 2 to 10.
- •Following this defection, BJP has become the second largest party after NPP in the 60-member assembly.
- •Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured UDP MLAs on issues including coal mining and inclusion of Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule.
- •UDP is now the second largest constituent of the 'Meghalaya Democratic Alliance' with 4 MLAs remaining.
- •This move will further increase BJP's influence on ministerial representation and policy priorities before the 2028 assembly elections.
Key Questions Answered
Eight out of 12 UDP MLAs officially joined the BJP, increasing the BJP's strength in the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly from two to 10 and making it the second-largest party after the NPP.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured the MLAs that their demands would be met, which included the legal resumption of coal mining, the inclusion of the Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, and approval for amendments to the MRSSA.
Despite the defection of eight MLAs leaving the UDP with four members, the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) maintains 51 members in the 60-member assembly, led by the NPP with 33 MLAs alongside partners including the HSDP and independents.
