Meghalaya Assembly Speaker Thomas A Sangma has recognised the merger of eight UDP MLAs with BJP, increasing the saffron party’s strength in the 60-member House to 10, officials said on Saturday.The development also reduced the number of United Democratic Party (UDP) legislators to four.Both UDP and BJP are constituents of the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance, led by the National People’s Party (NPP).The eight legislators joined BJP in New Delhi on September 23 and submitted a letter informing the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly of their merger two days later.On October 13, Sangma had said the matter was under examination and that he was awaiting legal opinions before taking a decision.He subsequently recognised the merger in an order on Friday, which was notified by the Assembly Secretariat, officials said.The merger was recognised under Paragraph 4 of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, which provides for an exception to disqualification on the ground of defection in cases of mergers meeting the prescribed conditions, according to a notification issued by the Speaker’s office.“It is hereby notified for general information that Shri Thomas A Sangma, Hon’ble Speaker, Meghalaya Legislative Assembly has recognised the merger of eight members of the United Democratic Party Legislature Party … with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP),” the notification read.The eight MLAs are Lahkmen Rymbui, Pius Marwein, Kyrmen Shylla, Mayralborn Syiem, Matthew Beyondstar Kurbah, Ollan Singh Suin, Balajied Kupar Synrem and Synshar Kupar Roy Lyngdoh Thabah.“Consequent upon the above, the strength of the United Democratic Party Legislature Party in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly stands at 4 (four) and that of the Bharatiya Janata Party Legislature Party at 10 (ten),” the notification said.UDP had 12 members in the 60-member Assembly before the merger, while BJP had two.UDP had also submitted a petition seeking the disqualification of the eight legislators, but the plea had certain deficiencies.