Meghalaya’s lone Congress MLA Ronnie V. Lyngdoh joins ruling NPP, wiping Congress out of the state Assembly. With this defection, NPP strengthens its position in the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance, while Trinamool Congress becomes the primary opposition. Congress suffers complete collapse in the northeastern hill state.
In a major political shift, Meghalaya’s lone Congress MLA, Ronnie V. Lyngdoh, has joined the ruling National People’s Party (NPP), effectively wiping out the Indian National Congress from the 60-member Meghalaya Legislative Assembly. The development marks the end of an era for the Congress party, which had once held significant influence in the northeastern hill state.
Ronnie V. Lyngdoh, elected from the Mylliem Assembly constituency in East Khasi Hills District during the 2023 Assembly elections, had served as the opposition chief whip. On Wednesday, Lyngdoh officially merged with the NPP by submitting a letter to Assembly Speaker Thomas A Sangma in the presence of senior party leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar.
The Speaker confirmed that the letter of merger complied with legislative procedures and announced, “From now onwards, he (Lyngdoh) would be recognised as an MLA of the NPP in the Assembly.”
Deputy Chief Minister Dhar also informed the media that Lyngdoh’s formal entry into the NPP had been completed, adding further strength to the NPP-led government headed by Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma.
Congress Decline in Meghalaya
The 2023 Assembly elections had dealt a heavy blow to the Congress, reducing its representation to just five MLAs—a significant fall from its previous dominance in the state. The downward spiral accelerated when three of the five Congress legislators defected to the NPP on August 19, 2023. Later, Saleng Sangma, another Congress MLA, was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Tura Parliamentary constituency in 2024, leaving Ronnie V. Lyngdoh as the party’s sole representative in the state Assembly until his defection this week.
With Lyngdoh’s departure, the Congress no longer has any representation in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, marking a historic low for the grand old party in the state.
Strengthening of NPP and MDA Coalition
Lyngdoh’s inclusion has raised the NPP’s strength to 32 MLAs, bolstering its dominance in the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government. The MDA, a ruling coalition, includes other regional players such as the United Democratic Party (UDP) with 11 MLAs and the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) with 2 MLAs. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with two MLAs, is also a constituent of the alliance.
This consolidation of power places the NPP-led coalition in a commanding position, not just numerically but politically, with a stronger grip on governance and legislative processes.
Rise of Trinamool Congress in Opposition
The Trinamool Congress (TMC), which also holds five seats in the Assembly, has been officially recognised as the main opposition party since August 2023. Mukul Sangma, a former Chief Minister and TMC leader, has been appointed as the Leader of the Opposition (LoP). Earlier, the TMC had even requested the Speaker to grant it the LoP status, citing the support of Ronnie V. Lyngdoh, when he was still with the Congress.
With Lyngdoh now aligned with the ruling NPP, the TMC solidifies its position as the primary opposition party, despite the Congress’s earlier claims to the contrary.
Congress Efforts to Reorganise Fall Short
Earlier in January, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge had taken steps to revive the party in Meghalaya by constituting three new committees—the Political Affairs Committee, the Election Committee, and the Campaign Committee. According to a party statement, Vincent H. Pala was appointed to head the 13-member Pradesh Election Committee, Saleng Sangma was to lead the 9-member Campaign Committee, and A Chellakumar, the AICC in-charge for Meghalaya, was to chair the 12-member Political Affairs Committee.
Despite these internal moves aimed at reinvigorating the party, the Congress has failed to regain lost ground, culminating in a complete wipeout from the state legislature.
A Turning Point in Meghalaya’s Political Landscape
Ronnie V. Lyngdoh’s defection represents more than just the fall of a party—it underscores the diminishing relevance of national parties in Meghalaya’s regional politics, where local parties like the NPP and TMC are asserting greater influence.
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As the political dynamics continue to shift in Meghalaya, the Congress faces an uphill task in rebuilding its grassroots support, while the NPP-led coalition cements its grip on the state’s governance.
