Latest news with #Lyngdoh
Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Meghalaya's last Congress MLA abandons ship to join NPP: ‘My supporters' wish'
A year after he remained the last Congress man standing in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly after three of his colleagues crossed the aisle to the ruling National People's Party, Mylliam MLA Ronnie Lyngdoh too joined the NPP Wednesday. His move has left the Congress – which had won five seats in the 2023 state elections – without a single member in the legislative assembly. Lyngdoh was also the Chief Whip of the Opposition and he submitted a letter to Speaker Thomas Sangma resigning from that position Tuesday. On Wednesday, Sangma said that Lyngdoh submitted another letter stating his intention to join the NPP. 'I had received the letter of resignation from the Opposition Chief Whip Ronnie Lyngdoh Tuesday, and I received his letter Wednesday stating his desire to merge with the NPP… I have found the letter submitted to be valid and it satisfies all the criteria under the 10th Schedule of the Indian Constitution. I have accepted his application and given my recognition, and he is recognised as a member of the NPP with immediate effect,' said Sangma. Last year, Congress MLAs in the state had dropped from five to four after Gambegre MLA Saleng Sangma was elected to the Lok Sabha – his assembly seat was later won in a by-election by NPP candidate and Chief Minister Conrad Sangma's wife Mehtab Chandee. In August, three of the remaining Congress MLAs – Celestine Lyngdoh, Charles Marngar and Gabriel Wahlang – joined the NPP, and Speaker Sangma had notified that it was a permitted 'merger' as opposed to defection since the MLAs jumping ship had accounted for two-third of the Congress MLAs. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Lyngdoh claimed that his move was not because 'of my wish' and that it was because of the opinion of his 'supporters.' 'My supporters believe that the best option for my constituency is to join the NPP… I have joined without any precondition except stability and development in Meghalaya,' he said. His entry has further consolidated the position of the NPP, which leads a coalition government in the state and had to form a patchwork alliance after the 2023 election where it had emerged as the single largest party but had not received a simple majority, and it now has 33 out of 60 MLAs in the house.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Silver coin betrayal, says Cong after its lone Meghalaya MLA joins ruling NPP
SHILLONG: Ronnie V. Lyngdoh, the lone Congress legislator in the 60-member Meghalaya assembly, on Wednesday switched over to the ruling National People's Party (NPP) led by chief minister Conrad Sangma. Assembly speaker Thomas A. Sangma said he received Lyngdoh's request to merge with the NPP and had accepted his application (X//RakkamA_Sangma) The Congress described Lyngdoh's exit as a 'betrayal for silver coins' and a continuation of the ruling NPP's 'shopping spree' funded through 'loot and corruption'. Assembly speaker Thomas A. Sangma said he received Lyngdoh's request to merge with the NPP. 'With assistance from legal advisers and my staff, we found the application valid under the provisions of the 10th Schedule of the Indian Constitution. Accordingly, I have accepted his application. He is now a member of the National People's Party with immediate effect,' the speaker said. Lyngdoh's move raises the NPP's tally to 33 in the 60-member House and ensures that the Congress, which won five seats in the February 2023 state elections, does not have a single elected representative in the assembly. One of them, Saleng A Sangma, was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Tura seat in 2024, while three others joined the NPP. Lyngdoh said he made the switch following continued appeals from his constituents, and was not driven by ambition. 'It wasn't my personal wish. People have been urging me since 2018. I stayed with the Congress as I was elected on its ticket. But now, with more than half the term gone, my constituents believe it's time we prioritise stability and development,' he said, insisting that he joined the NPP without any preconditions. 'My only request to the chief minister is to ensure stability and development for the people,' he said. Lyngdoh said he and NPP leader Hamletson Dohling, whom he defeated in the assembly election on the Mylliem seat, were committed to working together for the constituency. Asked if he would be fielded from the same seat in 2028, Lyngdoh was noncommittal. 'We'll decide when the time comes — when we have to cross that bridge,' he said. Speaker Sangma said Lyngdoh had declared his intention to withdraw his public interest litigation (PIL) in the Meghalaya high court to seek the disqualification of the three legislators, Celestine Lyngdoh, Charles Marngar, and Gabriel Wahlang, who had switched from the Congress to the NPP. In a statement, Congress joint secretary and Meghalaya in-charge, Mathew Antony, said the Congress had anticipated Lyngdoh's move. 'The resignation of Ronnie V Lyngdoh has not come as a surprise (the party has not received any official resignation as we speak), as the shopping spree of the ruling NPP from the money raised through corruption and looting of the people of Meghalaya continues,' Antony said. Drawing a Biblical parallel, Antony said in a statement: 'We all know the fate of Judas who became a chosen disciple amongst the 12, only to betray the one who raised them. Same with our 3 +1 MLAs who committed their loyalty to win as MLAs with the hand symbol of the Congress party and then to betray us for the silver coins offered to them.' He also suggested that Lyngdoh's poor performance as a legislator and uncertainty about a future Congress ticket may have influenced his decision, and emphasised that the Congress will emerge 'more stronger with new leaders' to be inducted into the party.
The Hindu
7 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Pre-marriage HIV/AIDS test could be made mandatory in Meghalaya
Meghalaya may follow Goa in making HIV/AIDS test mandatory for all before marriage, the State's Health and Family Welfare Minister Mazel Ampareen Lyngdoh said on Friday (July 25, 2025). She said an 'alarming' overview of the HIV/AIDS scenario in the State by the Meghalaya AIDS Control Society (MACS) had led the government to consider a new law to make such a test compulsory. 'We should have a set of laws like Goa to make pre-marriage HIV/AIDS test mandatory. This will benefit our communities,' Ms. Lyngdoh told journalists in the State's capital, Shillong. On Thursday, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong chaired a meeting with the agenda of formulating a comprehensive HIV/AIDS policy. The Health Minister said her department was directed to prepare a Cabinet note for the policy. She said the meeting was specific to the East Khasi Hills district, which recorded 3,432 HIV-positive cases in 2024, almost twice as many as the year before. Of these, only 1,581 were availing of anti-retroviral therapy (ART). 'We will hold meetings in other regions of the State to develop area-specific strategies in consultation with bureaucrats and medical professionals,' Ms. Lyngdoh said, pointing out that the number of positive cases was highest in the Jaintia Hills region. 'We must ensure that everyone who has been tested is brought into the treatment system because HIV/AIDS is not fatal if treated properly,' Ms. Lyngdoh said. According to MACS, unprotected sex is the primary cause of transmission of the virus in the State.
Indian Express
25-07-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
Meghalaya mulling law to make HIV testing mandatory before marriage: Health minister
The Meghalaya government is thinking about making a new law to make HIV/AIDS testing mandatory before marriage in view of the rising number of cases in the state, Health minister Ampareen Lyngdoh said on Friday. Meghalaya ranks sixth nationally in terms of HIV/AIDS prevalence, with the northeastern region facing a high burden overall, she said. 'If Goa has made testing compulsory, why shouldn't Meghalaya have its own set of laws? These laws would benefit the larger community,' Lyngdoh told PTI. 'The state is mentally prepared to take strong actions,' she added. The Health minister attended a meeting chaired by the Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, which was also attended by Social Welfare minister Paul Lyngdoh and eight MLAs from East Khasi Hills district to formulate a comprehensive HIV/AIDS policy in a mission mode. The Heath department has been directed to prepare a cabinet note for the policy. The Health minister said the government will hold similar meetings in the Garo Hills and Jaintia Hills regions to develop area-specific strategies, in consultation with bureaucrats and medical professionals. She expressed alarm over the spike in cases, revealing that East Khasi Hills alone has recorded 3,432 HIV/AIDS cases, of which only 1,581 patients are receiving treatment. 'We have spoken only about East Khasi Hills, and the number is very high. The highest in the state is unfortunately in the Jaintia Hills region, both West and East,' she said. The Health minister also stressed that while awareness is no longer a major issue, the real challenge lies in improving testing and screening. She said 159 deaths have been attributed to the loss of Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) treatment in the district. 'We must ensure that everyone who has been tested is brought into the treatment system. HIV/AIDS is not fatal if treated properly, just like cancer or TB,' she said. The minister noted that the primary mode of transmission in the state is sexual interaction, adding that injecting drug use is not yet a dominant factor due to challenges in identifying users.
Hindustan Times
24-07-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
As cases rise, Meghalaya says it may mandate HIV/AIDS testing before marriage
SHILLONG: Meghalaya health minister Ampareen Lyngdoh on Thursday said the state could make pre-marital testing for HIV mandatory across the state as one of the steps to curb the rising incidence of HIV/AIDS. Ampareen Lyngdoh said HIV/AIDS cases in East Khasi Hills alone have doubled to 3,432, but only 1,581 patients were under treatment (X/ampareenlyngdoh) 'We are mentally prepared to take strong actions,' Lyngdoh said after a meeting chaired by deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong and eight legislators from the East Khasi Hills to discuss the rising cases of HIV in their constituencies. 'The numbers are scary. And it's time Meghalaya takes the monster by its neck,' Lyngdoh declared. Lyngdoh said HIV/AIDS cases in East Khasi Hills alone have doubled to 3,432, but only 1,581 patients were under treatment. She added that 681 patients hadn't turned up for follow-ups, raising red flags over the state's ability to retain patients within the treatment net. 'Today, we discussed only East Khasi Hills. But the most alarming numbers are actually from West and East Jaiñtia Hills. The virus is no longer a threat—it's a full-blown crisis,' she warned. The minister said the government would refrain from disclosing location-specific data to prevent stigma but confirmed that Meghalaya's HIV/AIDS burden has reached critical levels. In this context, she said the government was seriously considering making HIV testing compulsory before marriage. 'If Goa can do it, why can't Meghalaya?' Lyngdoh asked, adding that the state may introduce laws for the community's well-being. Lyngdoh said they would now sit with legal experts and the department to see how legislation of this nature can be framed. We're no longer in denial,' the minister said. To be sure, Goa - like Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh – has debated the idea of mandating pre-marital testing for nearly two decades but has not enacted a law. For one, it has been argued that mandating testing before marriage would have limited utility if people were having pre-marital sex. UNAIDS and WHO also strongly oppose mandatory or compulsory HIV testing and advocate for voluntary, confidential testing with informed consent. Lyngdoh said the challenge also lies in ramping up testing and ensuring access to Antiretroviral Therapy (ART). Citing government data, Lyngdoh revealed that 159 patients have died after dropping out of ART treatment, which she called an 'unacceptable' figure. 'HIV/AIDS is not a death sentence. It is manageable like cancer or TB—there's a clear treatment protocol. We just need people to come forward,' she said. However, a large number of people remain reluctant to get tested, which hinders surveillance and treatment efforts. 'There are likely many more in our communities who remain undiagnosed. That's the scariest part,' she cautioned. The minister said unlike other states, Meghalaya hadn't been able to identify the population of injecting drug users. 'That tells us our testing and tracking systems need urgent overhaul,' Lyngdoh said. The government plans to hold region-wise consultations across Garo Hills and Jaiñtia Hills, involving senior doctors and bureaucrats, before finalising a new policy. The policy blueprint, once prepared, will be brought before the cabinet.
