SHILLONG: Saleng Sangma, a senior politician in the election-bound Northeastern state Meghalaya, has resigned as an MLA of the NCP.
Saleng Sangma submitted his resignation letter as a Meghalaya MLA on Monday (January 23) to commissioner and secretary of Meghalaya legislative assembly Andrew Simons.
Later in the day on Monday, Saleng Sangma will join the Congress party in Meghalaya.
He was elected to the Meghalaya legislative assembly in 2018 from the Gambegre constituency in the West Garo Hills district.
Notably, the Meghalaya Congress had been holding talks with Saleng Sangma in recent times in a bid to bring the leader to its party fold once again.
Around 10 years back, Saleng Sangma quit the Congress party following a conflict with then Meghalaya CM Mukul Sangma.
He was first elected to the Meghalaya legislative assembly on a Congress ticket in 2008.
Also read: Meghalaya assembly elections 2023: Congress to release candidates’ list on January 24
In 2013, Saleng had contested and won the elections from Gambegre constituency as an independent candidate after being side-lined by the Congress party.
He joined the NCP prior to the 2018 elections and became the only candidate of that party to register a win at the polls.
Saleng will face NPP candidate Rakesh A Sangma in the 2023 Meghalaya assembly elections from the Gambegre constituency.
Polling for elections to the 60-member Meghalaya assembly elections will be held in one phase on February 27.
The counting of votes will be held on March 2.