SHILLONG, OCT 23:

Meghalaya Assembly Speaker Thomas A Sangma on Friday recognised the merger of three United Democratic Party (UDP) MLAs with the ruling National People’s Party (NPP).

The move came days after eight UDP MLAs merged with the BJP, now leaving only one UDP legislator in the assembly.

The Speaker, in an order, said he had “accepted the factum of their merger with the National People’s Party under Paragraph 4 of the Tenth Schedule to the Constitution of India”, and directed that the three legislators be allotted seats as NPP members in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.

The three MLAs had written to the Speaker on October 17, stating they had decided to merge with the NPP and constituted at least two-thirds of the UDP Legislature Party in the assembly.

According to the order, the Speaker directed the three legislators to personally verify the contents of their letter.

They appeared before him on October 19, verified the communication and reiterated their decision to merge with the NPP.

The Speaker said he was “satisfied that they have decided to merge with the National People’s Party voluntarily and of their own will”.

The latest development follows an order issued on October 16 recognising the merger of eight UDP legislators with the BJP.

With the recognition of the two mergers, the UDP’s strength in the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly has fallen from 12 to just one.

The ruling NPP’s strength increased from 33 to 36 in the 60-member House. (Source: PTI)