SHILLONG : Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister and National People’s Party (NPP) national vice president Sniawbhalang Dhar has dismissed speculation that NPP MLAs are planning to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), asserting that there is no such move or dialogue underway.
Dhar said the NPP remains united under Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and described the reports of a possible defection of NPP legislators to the BJP as false and politically motivated speculation.
“We in the NPP family are all happy. There is no such move, no dialogue with the BJP. There is no threat at all,” Dhar said.
Speaking both as Deputy Chief Minister and as a senior NPP leader, Dhar said he was familiar with the party’s legislators and maintained that not a single NPP MLA had expressed an intention to leave the party.
“Inside the NPP, not even a single MLA has that intention. I am not speaking just as Deputy Chief Minister, I am speaking also as a leader of the party,” he said.
Dhar further asserted that the NPP is united and that the present government would complete its full term.
Dhar predicts NPP will cross 33 seats in 2028
Looking ahead to the 2028 Meghalaya Assembly elections, Dhar expressed confidence that the NPP would improve its tally and cross the 33-seat mark, citing the government’s performance.
“We will respect all our coalition partners and even if we get 33, we will respect all our partners. That is the NPP principle. Don’t worry, the time will come,” he said.
Dhar also ruled out any possibility of dissent within the NPP and said the government would continue beyond the completion of its current term.
“We will complete the term and we will continue after 2028 also, no doubt about that. There is no dissent, not at all,” he said.
However, he said it was too early to discuss the political scenario after the 2028 elections.
Dhar comments on reports of UDP MLAs joining BJP
Asked about reports that nine United Democratic Party (UDP) MLAs could join the BJP, Dhar said such a move would be a decision taken by the legislators themselves.
“It is not the BJP pulling them, it is they who want to go to the BJP. Frankly, it seems they are not happy within their own party,” he said.
Dhar’s comments come amid growing political speculation in Meghalaya over possible realignments ahead of the 2028 Assembly elections.
‘Chief Minister’s post is a different question’
When asked whether he would be ready to take over as Chief Minister, Dhar declined to comment directly.
“That is a totally different question altogether,” he said.
On concerns that the BJP’s alleged practice of attracting legislators from other parties in other states could be replicated in Meghalaya, Dhar said he was not aware of developments in other states but maintained that he saw no threat to Meghalaya.
For now, Dhar’s statement seeks to put to rest speculation over an immediate shift of NPP MLAs to the BJP, with the Deputy Chief Minister insisting that the ruling party remains united under Conrad K Sangma.