Shillong , Sept 28: KHADC’s Executive Member (EM), Ricky Shullai joined the United Democratic Party (UDP) on Friday.

Shullai, who is the KHADC member elected on NCP ticket from Laban-Mawprem constituency would also prepare to contest the upcoming elections to the Council as candidate of the UDP.

The district councils in Meghalaya are not under the purview of the anti-defection law, and members of the three district councils can shift their allegiance as many times as they wish from one party to another.

He was welcomed by Assembly Speaker, Donkupar Roy who is also the UDP president, in the presence of few party leaders and workers.

Roy said that though nothing mentioned in the Party’s constitution, but it was a usual practice of the party where preference (for allotment of party ticket) is given to any sitting MDC.

“I appeal to you (Shullai) to remain committed to the party since we have experienced in the past that leaders changed their mind after the elections,” Roy urged Shullai.

According to Shullai, his decision to join the UDP was based on the wish of the people of his constituency.

Shullai was elected for the first time as member of KHADC in the bye-elections held in December 2016, after Sanbor Shullai, his uncle and six other members resigned as members of the KHADC after the state government passed a law in 2015 that bars MLAs from holding dual posts.

His uncle, Sanbor Shullai is now the BJP MLA from South Shillong Assembly constituency. Sanbor was earlier the President of the NCP in the state, but he quit the party and joined the BJP in January this year, and successfully contested as its candidate in the February-27 Assembly polls.