National Peoples Party chief Conrad Sangma takes oath as the chief minister of Meghalaya.(ANI Photo)
The ruling alliance will be headed by the National People’s Party with 19 seats, and comprise the United Democratic Party (6 seats), People’s Democratic Front (4 seats), Bharatiya Janata Party (2 seats) and one Independent.
Shillong, March 6 (agencies): National People’s Party president Conrad Kongkal Sangma on Tuesday took oath as Meghalaya’s new chief minister with 11 other leaders to form the government in alliance with the BJP, three regional parties and an Independent legislator in the northeastern state.
The 40-year-old son of former chief minister and Lok Sabha speaker PA Sangma was sworn in by Meghalaya governor Ganga Prasad during a brief ceremony at the Raj Bhawan.
The Bharatiya Janata Party played a pivotal role in stitching up a mega alliance and secure the support of 34 legislators to form the next government. It won two seats in the hill state.
The ruling alliance will be headed by the NPP with 19 seats, and comprise the United Democratic Party (6 seats), People’s Democratic Front (4 seats), Hill State People’s Democratic Party (2 seats) and one Independent.
The other leaders from the NPP and other coalition partners, including Conrad’s elder brother James, were also administered the oath of office as ministers of the newly christened Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA).
Others in the cabinet are Prestone Tynsong, Comingone Ymbon and Sniawbhalanag Dhar from the NPP, Metbah Lyngdoh, Lahkmen Rymbui and Kyrmen Shylla from the United Democratic Party, Banteidor Lyngdoh and Hamletson Dohling of People’s Democratic Front.
The saffron party has been represented by senior leader Alexander L Hek, who returned to the party before the assembly elections after a stint with the Congress.
Despite speculations of alliance partner Hill State People’s Democratic Party, which has two MLAs, not taking part in the ceremony, one legislator from the party Samlin Malngiang also took oath as minister.
On Monday evening, HSPDP president Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit told journalists his party won’t be part of the new coalition as they were opposed to the BJP and didn’t support Conrad as the CM candidate.
The party threatened to boycott the swearing-in ceremony but with HSPDP legislator Malgniang joining the new government, speculations are now rife that both he and the party’s other legislator could join UDP—with whom HSPDP had a pre-poll alliance.
The ceremony was attended by Union minister for home Rajnath Singh, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah, Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, BJP’s strategist for the northeast Himanta Biswa Sarma and a host of other dignitaries.
Former chief minister Donkupar Roy of the United Democratic Party is expected to be the Speaker of the ninth Meghalaya legislative assembly.
The state is abuzz with talk of cabinet berth allotment and how Sangma would give representation to regional allies. The BJP’s northeast strategist Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Sunday there would not be a deputy CM in the government.
Sangma, who likes to read and listen to music among other things, entered the Meghalaya political scene in 2008 as a Nationalist Congress Party candidate from Selsella seat. He is the youngest son of former Meghalaya chief minister and former Lok Sabha speaker PA Sangma.
He was the cabinet minister for finance, power and tourism in the government led by United Democratic Party from 2008 till 2009, when it was reduced to a minority and President’s Rule imposed.
From 2009 till 2013, Conrad was the leader of opposition in the 60-member Meghalaya assembly. He failed to win the support of voters in 2013, losing to Congress’s Clement Marak from Selsella by a margin of over 2,000 votes.
He returned to electoral politics in 2016, when the Tura Lok Sabha seat fell vacant following the sudden death of his father due to a heart attack.
Conrad, who took over the reins of the party founded by his father in 2012, defeated Congress chief minister Mukul Sangma’s wife Dikkannchi Shira, by a margin of over 1.92 lakh votes.
“Conrad is a very dynamic leader. After their father’s death, James, and his younger brother Conrad—both with natural political acumen—have been able to steer NPP to greater heights,” said Patricia Mukhim, editor of The Shillong Times.
