Guwahati, Oct. 19 -- Three of the four remaining United Democratic Party (UDP) MLAs in Meghalaya are likely to join the National People's Party (NPP) on Monday, October 19, which would increase the ruling party's strength in the 60-member Assembly from 33 to 36, a UDP leader said.

UDP leader Paul Lyngdoh said the three legislators would join the NPP, leaving the regional party with only one MLA - its president, Metbah Lyngdoh, who is also a minister in Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma's government.

The proposed move comes days after Meghalaya Assembly Speaker Thomas A Sangma formally recognised the merger of eight UDP MLAs with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), reducing the UDP's strength from 12 legislators to four.

The eight legislator...