Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Shillong: Moonlight Pariat jumped to the BJP. The six-time MDC from Jowai South brought his supporters with him into the party fold. State president Rikman G Momin led the induction ceremony. Senior party figures, including A L Hek, Sanbor Shullai, M Kharkrang, M Rapsang, and Jemino Mawthoh, watched the proceedings.
Pariat previously served as the Chief Executive Member of the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council. He currently sits as an Independent member and maintained ties with the NPP-led coalition in the council. He ran for the Jowai assembly seat under the UDP banner in 2023 but lost. His move signals a major shakeup. Parties are jockeying for position before the 2028 assembly elections.
This shift follows a massive defection from the United Democratic Party. Eight UDP MLAs joined the BJP in New Delhi on September 23. That move pushed the BJP from two seats to 10 in the 60-member House. The UDP count dropped to four. Those defectors filed formal papers to merge with the BJP. Officials are now checking the documents to ensure they meet the law. Regarding the party's growth, observers note that Pariat's addition helps the "BJP's expanding organisational base in Meghalaya."
Updated at 4th October 2026 at 10:00am
Pariat said he joined the party to force Delhi to address the chronic struggles of the district councils. He claimed local parties sat on proposals that could have helped the councils, and he now plans to lobby central leadership directly. Pariat hit hard at the existing legal framework, demanding the removal of Paragraph 12A of the Sixth Schedule. He argued the rule shackles MDCs and prevents them from executing their ideas. He also took a swipe at current funding gaps, noting that while the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council pulls in Rs 5,000 crore, local councils scrape by on less than Rs 200 crore.
On the volatile issue of coal mining, Pariat called for an immediate end to the state-wide ban. He questioned why the National Green Tribunal allows mining in Assam but blocks it in Meghalaya, despite both regions sharing the same coal belt. He insisted that reviving the industry would stave off a recession and bolster the party's standing. Meanwhile, Minister Sanbor Shullai laid out the party's goal for the 2028 assembly elections, telling supporters to push for a mandate of 31 seats to secure a BJP-led government. He framed development and humanity as the party's primary faith and warned workers to aggressively debunk negative narratives circulating against the party.
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