Ending weeks of speculation, eight MLAs of Meghalaya’s United Democratic Party (UDP) joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the party headquarters in New Delhi on Wednesday. The move has sharply changed the numbers in the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly.

The defection reduced the UDP’s strength from 12 MLAs to four. At the same time, the BJP’s tally rose to 10, making it the second-largest party in the Assembly after the National People’s Party (NPP). Both the UDP and BJP are part of the NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government.

BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra announced the induction of the eight legislators at the party headquarters. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju was also present during the ceremony. Rijiju welcomed the MLAs and said their decision comes in the wake of changes they witnessed in the Northeast and Meghalaya over the past 12 years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“All eight MLAs are extremely impressed and influenced by Modi Ji and our BJP-led government’s performance,” Rijiju said.

The BJP has been seeking to expand its political presence in Meghalaya. The induction of the eight UDP legislators gives the party a larger base in the state ahead of the 2028 Assembly elections.

The move comes after weeks of uncertainty over the legislators’ political plans. Ollan Sing Suin, one of the eight UDP MLAs, had recently said that the legislators would join the BJP only if the party accepted their charter of demands.

The demands include inclusion of the Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. The legislators also sought the removal of restrictions on coal mining in Meghalaya and implementation of the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA).

The Meghalaya government passed the MRSSA to prevent illegal migration into the state. The legislation has remained an important issue in the state’s political discourse, particularly over concerns related to migration and residents’ security.

With eight UDP legislators now in the BJP, the political balance within the Meghalaya Assembly has shifted. The UDP, which had 12 MLAs, is left with four members. The BJP, which previously had two MLAs, now has 10.

The development also strengthens the BJP’s position within the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance. The NPP remains the largest party in the 60-member House, while the BJP has moved ahead of the UDP following the mass defection.

The eight MLAs’ entry into the BJP is expected to shape the party’s organisational and electoral preparations in Meghalaya as the state moves towards the 2028 Assembly polls.