Archive · 23 Sep 2026
Meghalaya UDP Suspends Three MLAs After BJP Defection
Eight lawmakers from Meghalaya’s United Democratic Party joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.
The UDP then began disciplinary action against them.
Three lawmakers were suspended for now.
They were Olan Sing Suin, Kyrmen Shylla and Matthew Beyondstar Kurbah.
The party had asked them to explain their decision.
The three did not attend the party meeting or send written replies.
Five other lawmakers were not named in the suspension announcement.
The changes increased the BJP’s lawmakers and reduced the UDP’s lawmakers in the state Assembly.
The United Democratic Party suspended three of its eight MLAs who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.
The suspended legislators are Olan Sing Suin, Kyrmen Shylla and Matthew Beyondstar Kurbah.
The three MLAs did not appear before the party’s state parliamentary board or submit written replies to show-cause notices.
Five other UDP MLAs who joined the BJP were Lahkmen Rymbui, Balajied Kupar Synrem, Synshar Kupar Roy Lyngdoh Thabah and Pius Marwein.
The BJP’s strength rose from two to 10 in the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly, while the UDP’s strength fell from 12 to four.
- Who
- The United Democratic Party, its president Metbah Lyngdoh and eight UDP MLAs who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.
- What
- The UDP suspended three of the eight MLAs and began disciplinary action against the legislators who defected.
- When
- Wednesday, September 23.
- Where
- The MLAs joined the BJP in New Delhi; the disciplinary action was announced in Meghalaya.
- Why
- The three suspended MLAs had publicly announced their decision to join another party and did not respond to the UDP’s show-cause notices.
UDP disciplinary action
MLAs joining BJP
Justification for the action
UDP disciplinary action
The UDP said the three MLAs did not appear before its state parliamentary board or submit written replies to the show-cause notices, so it suspended them until further orders.
MLAs joining BJP
The eight legislators publicly announced their decision to join other political parties and then joined the BJP in New Delhi.
Political impact
UDP disciplinary action
The defections reduced the UDP’s strength in the Meghalaya Assembly from 12 members to four.
MLAs joining BJP
The move increased the BJP’s strength in the 60-member Assembly from two members to 10.
- Suspended MLAs
- Olan Sing Suin, Kyrmen Shylla and Matthew Beyondstar Kurbah
- MLAs joining BJP
- Eight UDP legislators
- BJP Assembly strength
- Increased from two to 10
- UDP Assembly strength
- Declined from 12 to four
- Assembly size
- 60 members
- Other UDP MLAs joining BJP
- Lahkmen Rymbui, Balajied Kupar Synrem, Synshar Kupar Roy Lyngdoh Thabah, Pius Marwein and Mayralborn Syiem
- Government roles
- Metbah Lyngdoh and Lahkmen Rymbui are members of the cabinet in the Conrad K Sangma-led government.