Shillong: The United Democratic Party faces a total wipeout. West Shillong MLA Paul Lyngdoh warned on September 6 that the regional force is spiraling toward irrelevance as multiple lawmakers look to jump ship. He claims a significant number of UDP legislators are bypassing party structures to coordinate directly with the national leadership of the BJP.
The party risks losing its status as a primary political force. Lyngdoh fears the group could shrink to only one or two seats in the 60-member House. "A section—in fact, a good number of MLAs—have gone ahead and established links with the top leadership of the BJP, which indicates that not everything is hunky-dory within the UDP," he said.
Lyngdoh blames the current instability on a lack of engagement among the party ranks. He pointed to his own time as Tourism Minister, where he managed to keep members active through various schemes and government projects. He refused to name the defectors but insisted the current leadership is failing to maintain party cohesion.
Internal friction remains high. The National People's Party is reportedly trying to hold the coalition together by dangling cabinet positions in front of restless UDP members. Rumors circulate that Lyngdoh might be offered the post of Deputy Chief Minister to keep him from leaving, though he dismissed the reports. He claims he has heard nothing regarding such a move and refuses to weigh in on his own performance.
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