Adelbert joins UPF; MDA strength up to 40

SHILLONG: The strength of MDA in the 60-member Assembly grew to 40 on Tuesday with KHNAM MLA from North Shillong Adelbert Nongrum joining the nascent United Progressive Front, which is a constituent of the ruling alliance.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said that the alliance is happy as Nongrum has joined the UPF which means he is now in the MDA. “We are happy to welcome Adelbert Nongrum to the MDA. He has joined UPF alliance which means he is formally inducted into the MDA and now its strength has risen from 39 to 40,” he said.
On the other hand, Adelbert said that he decided to accept the offer of joining UPF on the condition that the state government must constitute a committee to relook, revisit and review the state Reservation Policy.
“We don’t want to see any discrimination among the three communities of the state — Khasi, Jaintia and Garo,” he said.
He said that he never aligned with the Congress though he was in the Opposition in the Assembly.
Lambor Malngiang, a member of the UPF, said that they have formed a strong alliance which would also increase the strength of the MDA and the front will work together on all the important issues of the state.