Shillong, Mar 6: Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) president Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit resigned from the post owing moral responsibility for party’s poll debacle in the Assembly elections.

In a resignation letter addressed to HSPDP vice president, Basaiawmoit said, “I owe moral responsibility as a leader for I cannot carry the party towards achieving the goal.”

He also said that it was of no meaning to lead the party when as a party, “we cannot reign in our own MLAs,” while referring to the two MLAs of the party – Samlin Malngiang and Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar who went to support the NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) coalition government.

Samlin took oath as minister of MDA government on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters, Samlin and Renikton said that they supported the coalition government since they have already given their commitment.

“When we discussed with our party president, he had verbally told us to remain with the Regional Democratic Alliance (RDA). Since we are part of the alliance with the UDP we thought that we can go together support the coalition led by the NPP,” Renikton said.

Samlin said that as MLAs of the party, they would resolve the issue within the party, as it was only a misunderstanding.

Four sitting MLAs of the HSPDP including Basaiawmoit lost the to former MLA, Lambor Malngiang by a narrow margin of 76 votes from Nongkrem, the seat he held since 2008.

The other sitting MLAs of the HSPDP – P.K. Pangniang, Witting Mawsor and Diosstarness Jyndiang also lost from Rambrai-Jyrngam, Mawshynrut and Nongstoiñ seats respectively.