Shillong: Eight United Democratic Party MLAs officially switched to the Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday in Shillong. The defection was not a sudden move. It ended months of high-level talks. Lahkmen Rymbui led the group at the BJP headquarters alongside Khliehriat legislator Kyrmen Shylla. Union minister Kiren Rijiju and Northeast in-charge Sambit Patra oversaw the induction.
The group joined the party to force action on four specific demands. They want the Khasi and Garo languages added to the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. They also seek changes to the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act, relaxed coal mining rules, and the relocation of Dalit Sikhs from Them Iew Mawlong. Rymbui claimed BJP leaders offered encouraging responses regarding these points.
"Today is an important day for all of us, particularly for the eight MLAs who are joining the BJP," Rymbui stated during the event. He credited the Prime Minister for driving recent shifts in the country. The legislators aim to secure more central support to handle state-level concerns. Younger members of the group also wanted a bigger role in shaping regional policies.
Shylla clarified that the departure from the United Democratic Party was strictly a choice of political direction. They had no major disputes with their former party. He insisted they left simply because they wanted to be part of the BJP. "We wanted to go to BJP, so we had to leave UDP," Shylla said. While the group discussed these changes for three months, Shylla declined to comment on potential cabinet reshuffles or demands for additional berths.
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