Shillong, June 22: The ruling National People’s Party (NPP) will formally welcome former legislator of Ranikor constituency Martin M Danggo into its fold at a meeting to be held next month.

“He (Danggo) will officially the party (NPP) in the first week of July,” NPP state president Dr WR Kharlukhi said here on Friday.

He also announced that Danggo will be the official candidate of the NPP for the upcoming bye-election to the Ranikor Assembly seat.

Danggo, the five-time legislator, tendered his resignation as member of Meghalaya Legislative Assembly and also as member of the opposition Congress.

He had announced at a public meeting attended by chief minister Conrad Sangma at Ranikor on June 12, that he would join the NPP when the Ranikor Civil Sub Division is created.

Danggo had said that it was the promise made by the chief minister that the government would accord Ranikor the civil sub-division status.

With Danggo’s resignation, the opposition Congress has lost the status of being the single largest party in the 60-member Assembly as its strength was reduced from 21 to 20 now.

The NPP also has 20 MLAs in Assembly and is leading the coalition MDA. The MDA government is getting the support of 6 MLAs from the United Democratic Party (UDP), four from the People’s Democratic Front (PDF), two each from the BJP and Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP), one NCP, and two Independents.

Recently, Independent MLA from Mawphlang constituency, S.K. Sun has also associated himself with the UDP.