Shillong, March 19: The Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) said it will pursue the case against four party MLAs who had joined the NPP.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday, the MPCC secretary Manuel Badwar said the petition was heard five times and the party was committed to pursue the matter in the High Court.
The legal team.of the MPCC was present during the briefing.
“The writ petition was filed after Assembly Speaker Thomas A. Sangma dismissed disqualification pleas twice on technical grounds.
Charles Marngar (Mawhati), Gabriel Wahlang (Nongstoin), Celestine Lyngdoh (Umsning) and Ronnie V. Lyngdoh (Mylliem) joined the NPP, claiming a legislature-party merger.
Ronnie V Lyngdoh had joined the NPP on July 30 last year while the other three MLAs joined on August 19, 2024.
The Speaker had recognised the merger.
According to Badwar, the Speaker had voted that only an MLA could file the petition but according to the ruling by the Supreme Court, anybody who has any interest in the party is allowed.
The first petition was filed by Ronnie V Lyngdoh but later it was withdrawn after he defected to the NPP.
A fresh petition was filed before the office of the Speaker in August 2025 by Badwar.
Badwar said the second plea was again rejected on very flimsy grounds, prompting the High Court petition.
“We stand on very strong grounds and it is progressing very well,” he said.
“We would like to send this message very loud and clear not just to the present politicians but also to future politicians… that the Constitution will not allow you to do whatever you want and jump wherever you want just because you are getting some benefits,” Badwar said.
“At the end of the day…it is the mandate of the people that you got elected, and for which we are going to pursue this case to its logical end.”
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