Shillong, Nov 28 (IANS): In a major political development, three sitting MLAs of Meghalaya, including two from the ruling National People's Party (NPP) resigned from their respective parties and the state assembly on Monday. They are likely to join the BJP soon.

NPP MLAs Benedic R. Marak and Ferlin C.A. Sangma and Trinamool Congress MLA H.M. Shangpliang submitted their resignation to Assembly Speaker, Metbah Lyngdoh.

The state would go to assembly polls along with two other northeastern states -- Tripura and Nagaland -- in February next year.

Shangpliang, while talking to the media, said: "We want development in the state and the BJP is for development. In neighbouring Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma while undertaking massive all-round development of the state, gave job letters to 25,000 youths in one day... why cannot the Meghalaya government do this?"

With two MLAs, BJP has recently announced that it would contest the next year's assembly polls on its own, and field candidates in all the 60 seats.

Former Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma (2010-2018), along with 11 Congress MLAs joined the Trinamool Congress in November last year. The party is now the main opposition party in Meghalaya