Shillong, Septr 25: Eight former United Democratic Party (UDP) MLAs, who recently joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on Friday submitted a letter to the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly informing the House of their merger with the BJP.
In the absence of the Hon’ble Speaker, Shri Thomas A. Sangma, who is currently in Malta on a post-conference study tour, the merger letter was submitted to Dr. Andrew Simons, Adviser (Legislation) Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.
The legislators were accompanied by BJP State President Shri Rikman G. Momin and BJP MLA Shri Sanbor Shullai at the time of submission.
Speaking to the media after receiving the documents, Dr. Simons confirmed that all eight legislators had submitted their papers and that the letter was addressed to the Hon’ble Speaker, informing the Assembly of their merger with the BJP.
He clarified that the legislators have claimed their move as a merger with the BJP, and that the documents submitted by them would be processed and examined in accordance with the applicable rules and constitutional provisions.
“The papers have been submitted by all of them. The letter is addressed to the Hon’ble Speaker, informing about the merger with the Bharatiya Janata Party. They have submitted the required documents, and it will be processed accordingly. The matter will be examined by the Hon’ble Speaker, following which an appropriate order will be passed,” Shri Simons said.
Of the eight MLAs, seven were physically present when the documents were submitted. The papers of Shri Mayralborn Syiem were also submitted along with those of the other legislators. Shri Simons said that although Shri Syiem was not physically present, his documents had been duly submitted.
Asked whether the submission could be considered a merger of the UDP Legislature Party with the BJP, given that four UDP MLAs continue to remain outside the group, Dr. Simons said that the matter would require examination.
He stated that the Assembly Secretariat would examine all the points and documents contained in the legislators’ submission, following which the Hon’ble Speaker would take a decision in accordance with the applicable rules and constitutional provisions.
The submission follows the formal joining of the BJP by the eight legislators in New Delhi earlier this week. The Assembly Secretariat will accordingly process and examine the submission, following which the Hon’ble Speaker will pass an appropriate order in accordance with the relevant provisions.
