Shillong, July 30, 2025 — In a decisive political shift, the Indian National Congress has lost its last remaining seat in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly following the defection of Mylliem MLA Ronnie V. Lyngdoh to the ruling National People’s Party (NPP). The move marks the complete absence of Congress representation in the 60-member House.
Lyngdoh formally submitted his letter of merger to Assembly Speaker Thomas A. Sangma on Tuesday, accompanied by senior NPP leaders including Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar. His induction into the NPP follows a series of defections that have steadily eroded the Congress’s presence in the state.
The Congress had initially secured five seats in the 2023 Assembly elections. However, the party’s strength dwindled over the past two years:
- Saleng A. Sangma was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Tura constituency.
- Celestine Lyngdoh (Umsning), Gabriel Wahlang (Nongstoin), and Charles Marngar (Mawhati) joined the NPP on August 19, 2024. Their merger was recognized under the anti-defection law, as they represented two-thirds of the party’s legislative strength.
With Ronnie V. Lyngdoh’s defection, the NPP now commands 32 seats, further consolidating its leadership within the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government. The Congress, once a dominant force in the state, now finds itself without any legislative representation—a symbolic and strategic setback in the Northeast region.
