NPP President Conrad Sangma Takes Oath as Meghalaya Chief Minister
The BJP broke its alliance with NDPP – and took the support of the NPP to form the government.
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NPP leader Conrad Sangma took oath as the new chief minister of the state on Tuesday, 6 March.
The National People’s Party (NPP), along with the the United Democratic Party (UDP), the BJP and an Independent MLA, among others, formed an alliance and met Governor Ganga Prasad to stake claim over the formation of the government.
- NPP leader Conrad Sangma took oath as the chief minister of Meghalaya on Tuesday, 6 March
- The Congress had won 21 seats, followed by the NPP with 19 seats, UDP with six seats and BJP with two seats in the recently-held Assembly elections in the state
- However, the BJP broke its alliance with NDPP and took the support of the NPP to form the government
"Will Work to Take Our State Forward": CM Conrad Sangma
The newly sworn-in Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Conrad Sangma told ANI that his party was clear on its agenda of good governance and that it would work to take the state forward.
I Congratulate Conrad Sangma: Rajnath Singh
Speaking to ANI, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that with Conrad Sangma swearing-in as the chief minister of Meghalaya, the perception that the northeast was Congress territory was now going to change.
Conrad Sangma Takes Oath as New CM, Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah Present
Conrad Sangma took oath as the new chief minister of Meghalaya, in Shillong on Tuesday, 6 March. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP president Amit Shah were present at the event, ANI reported.
Along with Sangma, his Council of Ministers were sworn in at the oath-ceremony as well.
Sangma Faces New Challenges Before Taking Oath
Even before he can take the oath as the new Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Conrad Sangma is already facing a series of challenges posed by members of the NPP-led alliance itself.
According to IANS, one of the parties in the coalition, Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP), has expressed its objections to Sangma being projected as chief minister. This, they say, is due to the fact that the UDP did not consult the former while selecting Sangma as the new chief minister of the state.
The HSPDP also said that while the NPP has been indicating that they would select Prestone Tynsong as the chief ministerial candidate, they instead chose Sangma, who was not an elected legislator.
Along with this, the party also voiced their reservations about working in coalition with the BJP.
“A non-Congress or non-BJP government could be formed along with the NPP,” Basaiawmoit told IANS.
Conrad Sangma to Be Sworn in as CM of Meghalaya
The President of the National People’s Party (NPP), Conrad Sangma, will be sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Meghalaya on Tuesday, 6 March, reported ANI. Sangma will be taking his oath in Shillong.
Sangma is the son of a former chief minister of Meghalaya Purno Sangma (1988 to 1990). In 2008, Sangma had become the youngest finance minister of Meghalaya.
Respect People's Mandate: Rahul Gandhi
As the NPP alliance stakes claim to form the government, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said the party “respected the mandate of the people.”
In a tweet, Gandhi said:
BJP Win Will Destabilise the Mandate of People: Congress Leader
Despite the Congress emerging as the single largest party in the Meghalaya polls, it is the BJP-NPP alliance which will be forming the government in the state, after the latter received the support of the United Democratic Party (UDP) and Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP).
Speaking about this development to ANI, PL Punia, Congress leader said: “Ye to aisa ho raha hai jaise jiski laathi uski bhains. This happened earlier in Manipur and Goa. Efforts are being made to destabilise the mandate of people. This is lethal for democracy.”
Himanta Biswa Sarma Mocks Rahul Gandhi
BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma took a swipe at Congress President Rahul Gandhi, saying that the latter’s decision to send top Congress leaders to Meghalaya “lacked calculation and showed immaturity”, reports Business Standard.
Speaking about the NPP-led alliance win in the state despite a Congress majority, he said:
Governor Should Not Agree to the Alliance: Kharge
Veteran Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the BJP’s alliance with NPP and UPD was undemocratic and that the governor should not agree to their alliance.
He said that while Congress worked hard in Meghalaya and secured more seats than BJP, the latter managed to convert its two seats to thirty.
Meghalaya CM Mukul Sangma Tenders Resignation
Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma tendered his resignation to Governor Ganga Prasad , a day after the Congress failed to secure majority in the Assembly elections.
The governor accepted the resignation and asked Sangma to be in charge till a new government is formed, a Raj Bhavan official said.
"Since the whole election process is over, the chief minister has to submit his resignation and I did. Further course of action will follow as per convention," the outgoing chief minister told PTI.
Alliance Was Premediated, Alleges Congress
Congress working president in Meghalaya Vincent Pala said that the party was aware before campaigning that BJP, NPP and UDP had joined hands, but did not make it public, reported ANI.
While saying that the Congress accepts the people’s verdict, Pala also said that it is easy to stake claim on the government but difficult to govern.
1 MLA out of Every 2 MLAs of All the Parties Will Form the Govt: Himanta Biswa Sarma
Himanta Biswa Sarma said that one MLA out of every two MLAs of all the parties will form part of the government, implying that one of the two BJP MLAs will be a part of the government in the state, reported ANI
He also said that while Conrad Sangma will be the new chief minister, the state will have no deputy chief minister.
Conrad Sangma To Take Oath as Meghalaya CM on 6 March
The alliance led by NPP along with BJP, UDP and NHPDP will form the new government in Meghalaya on 6 March, reported ANI.
Conrad Sangma will be the new chief minister of the state.
NPP Will Have An Upper Hand in the Govt: Himanta Biswa Sarma
Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the NPP will have an upper hand in the government when formed, reported ANI. He also said all speculations will be laid to rest once they meet the governor at 5 pm to stake claim to form the government.
MLAs Governor to Stake Claim on Formation of the Government
MLAs from NPP, UDP, BJP and NHPDP arrived at Governor’s House in Shillong to stake claim over formation of the Government in the state, reported ANI.
Want to Form a Congress-Free Govt: Donkupar Roy
Donkupar Roy, president of United Democratic Party (UDP) in said that the party decided it should form a non-Congress government, and that the NPP government should be led by Conrad Sangma as the Chief Minister.
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma Submits Resignation
Mukul Sangma submitted his resignation as Meghalaya Chief Minister to Governor Ganga Prasad in Shillong, reported ANI.
Big Jolt for Congress, UDP Extends Support to NPP
In a big jolt to Congress, The United Democratic Party (UDP), that won six seats, has extended support to the National People's Party (NPP) in the state.
Paul Lyngdoh, senior UDP leader and working president of UDP in his interaction to Times Now, stated that his party will lend support to the NPP, to form a non-Congress government in the state, reported Economic Times.
The UDP is a part of the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA.
Newly Elected MLA Hek Appointed Leader of BJP Legislature Party
Newly elected MLA AL Hek has been appointed the Leader of BJP Legislature Party in Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, declared Kiren Rijjiju in a tweet.
Congress to Hold Meeting to Elect CLP Leader
As reported by ANI, the Congress will be holding a meeting at 11 am on Sunday, 4 March, to elect the leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP). The National People’s Party (NPP), will hold the same meeting around noon.
According to The Indian Express, the BJP has already sent its key northeast strategist Himanta Biswa Sarma to Shillong.
Congress Meet Governor, Stake a Claim to Form Govt
In a late night meeting with Meghalaya Governor, Ganga Prasad, the Congress put forth their claim to form a government, on the basis of having emerged as the single largest party as per the poll results.
Senior Congress leader Kamal Nath told NDTV that the Congress should naturally be given the first shot at forming the government, in terms of the clear guidelines that allows the single largest party to do so.
Congress Emerge as Single Largest Party
As per the final numbers released by the Election Commission on Saturday, 3 March, the Congress took a lead with 21 seats, while the NPP won 19, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) bagged only two seats. ‘Other’ parties won 17 seats.
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