Shillong, October 19: West Shillong MLA and senior political leader Paul Lyngdoh on Monday said a lack of mutual respect within the United Democratic Party (UDP) was the main reason behind his decision to quit the regional party and merge with the ruling National People’s Party (NPP).
Lyngdoh, who along with Mawkyrwat MLA Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar and Mookaiaw MLA Nujorki Sungoh submitted a merger application to Assembly Speaker Thomas A. Sangma, alleged that the UDP leadership had failed to acknowledge his contributions despite entrusting him with the responsibility of reviving the party in Shillong. “What is foremost for us is only one thing — that we respect each other, mutual respect. That respect I did not get in the UDP. UDP never deserves Bah Paul Lyngdoh,” he told reporters.
Recalling developments following the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, in which the Voice of the People Party (VPP) secured a landslide victory, Lyngdoh said the UDP’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) had decided to rebuild the party’s organisational strength, beginning with Shillong. He said the decision was taken in view of the party’s electoral setback, and as the then president of the UDP Shillong district unit, he was entrusted with spearheading the revival efforts.
According to Lyngdoh, party workers, including women who had participated in the historic Hill State Movement, were mobilised to strengthen the organisation and organise the party’s foundation day celebrations on September 11, 2025. As part of the programme, UDP members visited rehabilitation centres and children’s homes across Shillong before gathering for a meeting attended by the party president, vice president and general secretary.
Lyngdoh recalled that during the meeting, senior leaders encouraged the Shillong unit to take the lead in rebuilding the party, recognising the city’s importance as a centre for education, healthcare and business. “We made preparations, we went to help rehab centres, children’s homes all over the city and on the evening of the same day we met together in the presence of the party president, vice president, general secretary and they told us, you from now on lead from Shillong because here people come from villages to study, to come for treatment, to do business, so if you become strong from here, it means we automatically get a share too,” he said.
However, Lyngdoh alleged that the very next day, September 12, 2025, the same leadership initiated steps to remove him and Kyrmen Shylla from the state cabinet. “But the very next day, September 12, they wrote a letter removing bah Paul, removing Kyrmen Shylla. The same people who decided in the meeting to strengthen Shillong city,” he said.
Questioning the party leadership’s decisions, Lyngdoh indicated that his departure was not an isolated development, pointing to the earlier exit of eight UDP legislators who subsequently merged with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). “If you count other incidents, those eight colleagues who left — for what reason? It cannot be that they left without a reason, there is a reason, but they may not speak like I do,” he remarked.
The West Shillong legislator also raised questions over the functioning and legitimacy of the UDP’s present leadership, alleging that the tenure of its office-bearers had already expired without the necessary steps being taken to renew the party’s organisational structure. He recalled attending the party’s meeting on September 11, 2026, when the issue of renewing office-bearers was expected to be discussed but was allegedly not taken up. “The president who is there now, his term has already expired, the general secretary who is there now is an acting general secretary — how will you work in that party?” Lyngdoh questioned. He maintained that the series of developments had raised serious concerns about internal democracy, organisational discipline and mutual respect within the UDP.
Explaining his decision to join the NPP, Lyngdoh said he considered the ruling party a more organised political platform capable of enabling him to serve the people effectively. “From that I see that the alternative which is more well organised is the NPP,” he stated.
Lyngdoh’s remarks come amid a major political crisis within the UDP, which has witnessed the departure of 11 legislators in quick succession, with eight joining the BJP and three seeking to merge with the NPP. If the latest merger is formally recognised by the Assembly Speaker, the UDP will be left with just one legislator in the 60-member Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, marking a significant decline in the regional party’s legislative strength.
