Another NPP MLA quits Meghalaya Assembly, party

Shillong, Jan 4 Another MLA of Meghalaya's ruling National People's Party (NPP), S.G.Esmatur Momin resigned from the Assembly and the party on Wednesday and is likely to join Trinamool Congress on Thursday.

Momin, who was elected to the Assembly in 2018 elections from the Phulbari assembly constituency, submitted his resignation letter to Speaker Metbah Lyngdoh.

Trinamool sources said that the NPP MLA would join their party on Thursday.

With this, eight Meghalaya MLAs have resigned from the house and their respective parties and joined different parties.

On December 14, Independent MLA Samuel Sangma and three resigned legislators - Benedict Marak and Ferlin C.A. Sangma of the NPP and H.M. Shangpliang of the Trinamool - joined the BJP in New Delhi in presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and BJP spokesman Sambit Patra.

On December 19 and 29, three suspended Congress MLAs Ampareen Lyngdoh (East Shillong), Mohendro Rapsang (West Shillong), and Kimfa Sidney Marbaniang (Rambrai Jyrngam) respectively also resigned and joined the NPP.

Two remaining suspended Congress legislators Mayralborn Syiem (Nongpoh) and P.T. Sawkmie (Mawlai) are also likely to soon quit the Assembly and join the United Democratic Party (UDP), a member of the NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government.

The Congress had earlier suspended five party MLAs for their closeness with the NPP leadership, specially Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma.

Meghalaya, along with Nagaland and Tripura, are slated to go for polls in February.