Shillong: Deputy Chief Minister and National People's Party (NPP) National Vice-President Sniawbhalang Dhar on Monday night called an urgent press conference to deny reports of disunity within the NPP and to reject speculation that NPP legislators are planning to defect to the BJP.
Timing and message
Dhar convened the late-evening media briefing at 9 pm and flatly told reporters there was no intention among NPP MLAs to join any other party. He said the party remained united and characterised rumours of defections as mere speculation originating from rival political formations.
“There is no such move, no dialogue with the BJP. There is no threat at all. Inside the NPP, not even a single MLA has that intention. I am not speaking just as Deputy Chief Minister, I am speaking also as a leader of the party, I know the character and the needs of the MLAs. We are happy, there is no such thing at all. It is just speculation from other political parties,”
Dhar also expressed confidence in the present government completing its full term and predicted that the NPP would cross the 33-mark in future electoral arithmetic, while pledging continued respect for coalition partners even if the party's strength increased.
Context: reports of UDP legislators moving to BJP
The press conference followed media reports and political chatter about a possible move by several UDP MLAs to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Dhar said the decision of the UDP legislators, if it happens, is their own and not driven by the BJP.
“It is not the BJP pulling them, it is they who want to go to the BJP. Frankly, it seems they are not happy within their own party,” Dhar said, according to the statement released after the briefing.
Coalition dynamics and assurances
Despite asserting unity within the NPP, Dhar reiterated that the party would continue to work with coalition partners and respect existing arrangements. He said the current government would serve its full term and expressed confidence of returning to office after 2028.
When asked about post-2028 scenarios, Dhar said it was too early to comment and emphasised that election outcomes should be allowed to take their course.
- Key claim: NPP legislators are not planning to defect to the BJP, said Dhar.
- On UDP reports: Any movement by UDP MLAs to join the BJP would be their own decision, not a BJP-instigated operation, Dhar said.
- Coalition pledge: NPP will respect coalition partners even if it increases its strength.
What Dhar said on party strength
Dhar predicted the NPP would cross the 33-mark on account of its performance, but he framed that projection as separate from the party's pledge to honour coalition relationships. He said, "We will respect all our coalition partners and even if we get 33, we will respect all our partners. That is the NPP principle."
Political implications
The denial of planned defections comes amid heightened political scrutiny in the state, where shifting loyalties can alter the arithmetic of coalition governments. Dhar’s public reassurance aims to forestall uncertainty within the ruling formation and signal continuity to both partners and the electorate.
At the same time, his acknowledgement that some UDP MLAs may be inclined to switch allegiances underscores an ongoing fluidity among regional party ranks. Dhar attributed any such moves to internal dissatisfaction within UDP rather than to external inducement.
He urged patience and asked that the electoral process be allowed to unfold without premature speculation on post-2028 alignments.
| Topic | Statement |
|---|---|
| NPP defections | Denied; no NPP MLA intends to join BJP |
| UDP MLAs to BJP | Possible moves seen as personal decisions by UDP MLAs, not BJP-instigated |
| Government stability | Will complete full term; NPP confident of returning after 2028 |
Further developments are likely to be closely watched by coalition partners, opposition parties and political observers in the state. Dhar’s statement seeks to reassure those stakeholders that, for now, the NPP’s internal cohesion remains intact.
