People's Democratic Front (PDF) will officially merge and join the National People's Party (NPP) in Shillong on May 6. This was announced by Meghalaya chief minister and NPP chief Conrad Sangma.

While speaking at an election rally to drum up support for NPP candidate Samlin Malngiang on Tuesday night, Sangma revealed that the merger would take place on May 6, ahead of the by-poll to Sohiong on May 10.

The PDF has two MLAs in the Meghalaya Assembly and the merger is believed to increase the NPP’s strength to 28 in the 60-member House. By-election to Sohiong Assembly constituency, which did not go to polls with the rest of the state on February 27, will be held on May 10.

Notably, after the assembly elections in Meghalaya concluded, the regional parties United Democratic Party (UDP) and PDF pledged their support to the NPP-led government. UDP got 11 seats and PDF got two seats in the elections. The NPP alliance holds 45 of the 60 seats in the assembly.