Former Meghalaya MLA Jemino Mawthoh joins BJP; eight UDP MLAs may follow

GUWAHATI: Former Meghalaya MLA Jemino Mawthoh joined the BJP on Saturday along with his supporters, in a move seen as a precursor to eight United Democratic Party (UDP) MLAs joining the saffron party.

Mawthoh, who quit the UDP in May, joined the BJP in the presence of Meghalaya unit chief Rikman Momin and senior legislator Alexander Laloo Hek, among others.

He told reporters that he had been receiving feelers from the BJP since 2021 but had taken his time before deciding to join the party after consulting his supporters.

Meanwhile, a group of eight UDP legislators is negotiating with the BJP's central leadership before joining the party. The UDP, which has 12 MLAs, is a key constituent of the National People's Party-led government.

Ollan Sing Suin, one of the eight legislators, told local media that they would join the BJP if the party accepted their charter of demands.

The demands include the inclusion of Khasi in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, lifting restrictions on coal mining in the state and implementation of the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), which was enacted to prevent illegal migration.

The UDP convened a meeting of its Central Executive Committee on Friday to deliberate on the latest rumblings within the party. Three of the eight MLAs, including Suin, attended the meeting.

Suin indicated that the eight legislators would join the BJP if their demands were met. He described it as an “eight-member mission”.

The BJP has two MLAs in Meghalaya. If the eight UDP legislators join the party, its tally will rise to 10, making it the second-largest party in the state after the NPP, headed by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma.

Senior legislator Alexander Laloo Hek met senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Friday. He told the media that they had a detailed discussion on the political situation in Meghalaya.

The BJP has been working to strengthen its base in Meghalaya, as well as in Mizoram and Sikkim. If the eight UDP MLAs cross over, the BJP could enter the 2028 Meghalaya Assembly elections with a significantly stronger presence.