📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Timothy A. Gonsalves
Politics
Christian leaders condemn eight Meghalaya MLAs for joining BJP
✍️ The Times of India
🗓 26 Sep 2026, 03:32 AM
👁 11
Eight Meghalaya legislators who recently shifted to the Bharatiya Janata Party faced sharp criticism from state Christian leaders, who said the move betrays the community’s values.
Eight sitting members of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly have announced their entry into the Bharatiya Janata Party, prompting an immediate outcry from the state’s Christian leadership. In a joint statement, senior clergy from several churches described the defections as a betrayal of the moral and cultural ethos that guide the largely Christian population of the hill state.
The leaders urged the legislators to reconsider their decision, warning that aligning with a party perceived as hostile to minority rights could erode the trust between elected representatives and their constituents. They called for a public dialogue to address the concerns of the Christian community, which forms a significant voting bloc in Meghalaya.
Political analysts note that the BJP’s recent inroads in the Northeast have intensified scrutiny of such moves, with the party seeking to expand its footprint while facing resistance from regional and religious groups. The eight MLAs have not responded publicly to the criticism as of now.
The leaders urged the legislators to reconsider their decision, warning that aligning with a party perceived as hostile to minority rights could erode the trust between elected representatives and their constituents. They called for a public dialogue to address the concerns of the Christian community, which forms a significant voting bloc in Meghalaya.
Political analysts note that the BJP’s recent inroads in the Northeast have intensified scrutiny of such moves, with the party seeking to expand its footprint while facing resistance from regional and religious groups. The eight MLAs have not responded publicly to the criticism as of now.