Shillong, March 6 (IANS): National People's Party (NPP) chief Conrad Sangma will take oath as Chief Minister of Meghalaya for the second consecutive term here on Tuesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and others are expected to attend his swearing-in ceremony.
Speaking to the reporters here, Sangma said: “As the constituents of the new alliance to form the government are exactly the same as the preceding one, all have unanimously agreed to call it Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) 2.0.”
In the MDA 2.0 government in Meghalaya, there will be 12 ministers -- eight from the NPP, two from United Democratic Party (UDP) and one each from Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP) and the BJP.
Among these 12 cabinet berths, four, including Chief Minister, will be from the state's Garo Hill region. The rest of the eight portfolios will be distributed between Khasi-Jaintia Hills region.
Sangma also informed that all members of the new alliance have decided that he will lead the MDA 2.0 alliance as the chairman and the Chief Minister of the state.
On late Sunday evening, UDP, that emerged as the second-largest party, extended support to the NPP.
Earlier, the UDP's top brass tried to team up with the Congress and Trinamool Congress to form an alternative composition to keep the NPP out of power in Meghalaya.
NPP, BJP alliance in Meghalaya marriage of convenience: Cong
The Congress on Monday said that the alliance between the National People’s Party (NPP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Meghalaya for the government formation is a “marriage of convenience.”
In the February 27 Assembly election held in Meghalaya, the result of which was declared on March 2, the NPP won 26 seats while the BJP got two. The Congress bagged five seats.
Addressing a press conference in the national capital, Meghalaya unit Congress president said: “The BJP and its alliance with NPP and other parties is a marriage of convenience. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president J.P. Nadda and other senior party leaders came to Meghalaya and criticised the NPP. However, they are now joining hands, which proves that everything in their manifesto was false.”
The Congress also criticised the BJP for calling NPP president Conrad Sangma “corrupt” during the poll campaign but “now joining hands to form the government”.
In Meghalaya, the United Democratic Party (UDP) -- that emerged the second-largest, has also extended its support to the NPP for the government formation.
Metbah Lyndoh, the president of UDP that bagged 11 seats to finish second behind the NPP, in a letter written on Sunday to Conrad Sangma mentioned: “Congratulations on your party’s performance, resulting in the resounding victory. In light of the people’s mandate, I on behalf of the parliamentary party of the United Democratic Party, do hereby extend support for government formation.”
The UDP was also an ally in the previous NPP-led government in Meghalaya.
Meanwhile, People’s Democratic Front (PDF), which was earlier holding talks with Trinamool Congress leader Mukul Sangma for an alternative formation, also joined the UDP to tender support to the NPP.
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