Meghalaya: Three more MLAs resign from PDF and HSPDP; Assembly House strength reduced to just 50 out of 60

Three more sitting MLAs -- two more from the People’s Democratic Front (PDF) and one from the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) -- on January 5 resigned as members of the 11th Meghalaya Legislative Assembly and are expected to join the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) ahead of the forthcoming general elections.

The three MLAs have been identified as 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.

A total of 10 legislators have so far resigned ahead of the elections reducing the strength of the House from 60 to 50.

Speaking over the matter with reporters, Dohling said that all three of them have decided to join the NPP in the coming days.

Commenting 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,” he added.

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

“The decision to resign as MLA is because I have decided to join the NPP. The reason is that we want to ensure that the NPP gets the absolute majority to lead the government so that we can give good governance to the people of the state,” he added.

He also 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.

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