Eight UDP MLAs set to join BJP in Meghalaya, says Hek

At least eight of the 12 United Democratic Party (UDP) legislators in Meghalaya are set to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), according to senior BJP legislator Alexander Laloo Hek. The move would make the BJP, currently with only a handful of legislators, the second-largest party in the state assembly. Hek confirmed that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has finalised the entry of these legislators.

Former UDP minister Kyrmen Shylla confirmed that he and other party legislators will join the BJP once the central leadership sets a date. The shift follows Shah's assurances to address key demands of the defecting legislators, including constitutional recognition of the Khasi language and issues related to coal mining, before the 2028 assembly elections.