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Politics
VPP chief Ardent says Meghalaya voters will continue to reject BJP after ex‑UDP MLAs join party
✍️ shillongtoday.com
🗓 11 Oct 2026, 07:32 AM
👁 5
VPP leader Ardent warned that despite recent defections of former UDP legislators to the BJP, the people of Meghalaya are unlikely to support the saffron party in upcoming elections.
Meghalaya's Voice of the People (VPP) chief Ardent publicly asserted that the state's electorate remains opposed to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). His comments came after a handful of former United Democratic Party (UDP) legislators announced their switch to the BJP, a move that analysts had expected might shift local political dynamics.
Ardent emphasized that the BJP's recent inroads do not reflect a broader acceptance among Meghalaya's citizens, who have traditionally favored regional parties and coalition politics. He warned that any attempt by the BJP to capitalize on the defections would meet with strong resistance at the ballot box.
The statement underscores the continuing volatility in the state's political landscape ahead of the next assembly elections, where alliances and voter sentiment remain fluid. Party leaders from both the UDP and the BJP have yet to comment on Ardent's remarks.
Election observers note that Meghalaya's electorate often prioritises local issues and ethnic considerations over national party narratives, a factor that could limit the BJP's growth despite the new entrants.
Ardent's warning adds to a series of recent statements by regional leaders cautioning against the assumption that high‑profile defections automatically translate into electoral gains for national parties in the Northeast.
Ardent emphasized that the BJP's recent inroads do not reflect a broader acceptance among Meghalaya's citizens, who have traditionally favored regional parties and coalition politics. He warned that any attempt by the BJP to capitalize on the defections would meet with strong resistance at the ballot box.
The statement underscores the continuing volatility in the state's political landscape ahead of the next assembly elections, where alliances and voter sentiment remain fluid. Party leaders from both the UDP and the BJP have yet to comment on Ardent's remarks.
Election observers note that Meghalaya's electorate often prioritises local issues and ethnic considerations over national party narratives, a factor that could limit the BJP's growth despite the new entrants.
Ardent's warning adds to a series of recent statements by regional leaders cautioning against the assumption that high‑profile defections automatically translate into electoral gains for national parties in the Northeast.