2 PDF MLAs, 1 HSPDP MLA resign, all set to join NPP

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJanuary 5, 2023

Three more sitting legislators – two from the People’s Democratic Front (PDF) and one from the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) – on Thursday resigned as members of the 11^th Meghalaya Legislative Assembly and are all set to join the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) ahead of the forthcoming general elections.

Hamletson Dohling (Mylliem) and Jason S Mawlong (Umsning) of the PDF and Samlin Malngiang (Sohiong) of the HSPDP handed over their respective resignation letters to the Speaker Metbah Lyngdoh at the Assembly Secretariat at Khyndai Lad here.

Altogether, ten legislators have so far resigned ahead of the elections reducing the strength of the House of 60 to 51.

Speaking to reporters, Dohling, who was also a cabinet minister, said that all the three of them have decided to join the NPP in the coming days.

Talking about his own constituency, Dohling said that the decision was taken based on the request of the leaders from the different villages of Mylliem and on the recommendation of the core committee. “Accordingly, as a leader I have to listen to them and I decide to resign today to join the NPP.”

Announcing that there is no more PDF in Mylliem, the former MLA said that he would immediately join the NPP on January 7.

On the allegation of PDF leader and cabinet minister Banteidor Lyngdoh that he was offered Rs 5 crore to join the NPP,  Dohling said he has joined the NPP after getting the green signal from his leaders and based on issues.

“You can ask from Banteidor about the offer because as far as I am concerned I have decided to join the party based on issues. I have asked the NPP to ensure that Uranium mining is not allowed in Meghalaya, to follow up the ILP demand and inclusion of Khasi and Garo languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, to resolve the border issue and to provide various developmental schemes to Mylliem constituency,” he said.

Mawlong said that he too had taken the decision based on the collective voice of his supporters. “We want to ensure stability in the government so that we can serve the people of the state better,” he added.

On his decision to quit as HSPDP legislator, Malngiang said, “The decision to resign as MLA is because I have decided to join the NPP. The reason is because we want to ensure that the NPP get absolute majority to lead the government so that we can give good governance to the people of the state.”

“We have faced lots of problems in a coalition government. Therefore, it is high time that only one party should be given the mandate to rule the state,” he added.

He said he has nothing against the HSPDP and there is no truth in the allegation that he felt bad because the cabinet berth was taken away from him.

According to him, the NPP should be given a chance as it is being accepted by people from the three regions of the state – Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Hills.