Two Congress MLAs from poll-bound Meghalaya joined the ruling National People’s Party (NPP), saying the Congress has “lost its sense of direction” and its “touch with the people” of the state.

The two MLAs who switched sides are Ampareen Lyngdoh of East Shillong and Mohendro Rapsang of West Shillong.

They were suspended in February along with three other party MLAs for supporting the NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) in which BJP is a constituent.

Their resignations took the number of MLAs having quit their respective parties to five since November.

Three of them, two from the NPP and one from the Trinamul Congress, joined the BJP in Delhi on November 14.

In her three-para resignation letter to the Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, three-time MLA Lyngdoh said she had been for the most part of her life a “foot soldier” of the party which gave her opportunity to “serve the people of Meghalaya” but recent developments in the party showed the party has not only “lost its sense of direction” but also “lost its touch with the people of Meghalaya.”

Lyngdoh also said there was a “pressing need” for the party to reflect but she believes “sincere and honest attempts to lead such self-introspection” have failed, adding the party was “no longer” the “best platform” for her to “serve” the people.

The departure has left the Opposition Congress, which had won 21 of the 60 seats in the 2018 state Assembly polls, virtually without any MLA.

Party sources said it is just a matter of time before the three other suspended MLAs also join other parties, leaving the grand old party without any sitting MLA in the fray for the 2023 polls.

Of the 21 MLAs, three have passed away while the others have joined other parties, including the 12 MLAs who joined the Trinamul last November, making it the principal Opposition party in the Assembly.

Congress, however, put up a brave front.

“Their departure will have no impact. It was along expected lines.”