NPP welcomes Celestine Lyngdoh, Charles Marngar
and Gabriel Wahlang to its fold
Left with a lone MLA, this was the third jolt for the grand old party since Nov 2021
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Aug 19: In a setback to the opposition Congress, Umsning MLA Celestine Lyngdoh and two suspended party legislators – Gabriel Wahlang and Charles Marngar – joined the ruling National People’s Party on Monday.
The Conrad K Sangma-led party now enjoys a majority in the 59-member House with 31 MLAs while the Congress is left with the Leader of Opposition, Ronnie V Lyngdoh as its lone legislator.
The Congress suffered a similar fate in November 2021 when 12 of its 17 MLAs led by former Chief Minister Mukul M Sangma defected to the Trinamool Congress. Three months later, the remaining five MLAs pledged allegiance to the NPP-led MDA 1.0 government.
While the NPP’s number has risen to 31, the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance now boasts of a combined strength of 49 MLAs, including 12 from UDP, two each from BJP and HSPDP, and two Independents.
Monday’s development comes three days after Celestine Lyngdoh met the Congress leaders and clarified that he was not joining the NPP immediately. The other two Congress MLAs were suspended the same day after failing to turn up for a party meeting.
The three legislators met Assembly Speaker Thomas A Sangma on Monday and completed the formalities for their defection to the NPP.
Following this, the three legislators along with some of their supporters arrived at the NPP office on Bivar Road where Conrad Sangma, Prestone Tynsong and other party leaders gave them a rousing welcome.
During the programme, the MLAs were enrolled as members of the NPP.
Celestine Lyngdoh defended his decision to join the NPP, saying a majority of the leaders in the NPP are from Congress.
“We had the option to take a right or left turn, and since right is less beneficial for the people we represent, we decided to take the left road as the situation demanded,” he said, hoping that their decision would ensure changes and development for their constituencies.
Expressing happiness that their support enabled the NPP to have an absolute majority in the House, he said the magical number should give the party the courage to take steps for the benefit of the people and the state.
Marngar, the Mawhati MLA, defended his decision to join the NPP “not for personal gains” but to strengthen the party. He hoped the CM would address the development needs of his constituency, which has long been overlooked.
Pledging to uphold the principles of the NPP in Ri-Bhoi, he claimed that with four MLAs from the district now, the NPP would secure all five seats in Ri-Bhoi in the next Assembly elections.
Stating that senior leader DD Lapang was instrumental in encouraging him to take the decision, he assured to work for the betterment of the party.
Nongstoin MLA Gabriel Wahlang also urged the CM to address the problems of roads in Nongstoin and elsewhere in the “backward” West Khasi Hills district.
NPP state president and Deputy CM, Prestone Tynsong said the party is filled with joy after achieving the magic number of 31 on their own.
Terming this a historic moment for the NPP, he said the party’s door was open for other MLAs to join.
Tynsong slammed Congress for calling Conrad K Sangma a master of poaching and said the NPP is ready to fight a legal battle if the grand old party takes it to court, as threatened.