Former UDP MLA Jemino Mawthoh to join BJP on September 12
Former Meghalaya MLA Jemino Mawthoh has announced his decision to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on September 12. This move follows his resignation from the United Democratic Party (UDP) earlier this year and comes amidst rumors of further defections within the UDP ahead of the 2028 assembly elections.
Why it matters
The defection signals potential shifts in Meghalaya's political landscape and suggests a growing influence of the BJP in the state's regional party dynamics.
Former Meghalaya MLA Jemino Mawthoh on Sunday (September 6, 2026) announced that he and his supporters will join the BJP on September 12.
Mr. Mawthoh, who resigned from the UDP in May after serving as its vice president and general secretary for several years, said he took the decision following a meeting with his supporters on Saturday (September 5).
"I was approached by the BJP earlier as well. In fact, feelers were coming since 2020-21, but I did not want to rush as a political decision should be very conscious," he said.
Mawthoh said he will join the BJP at the party's state office in Shillong on September 12.
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