Shillong, March 12 (IANS): Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, heading the six-party non-Congress government, on Monday won the floor test in the assembly by a voice vote. The floor test came after the electorate of the state threw up a fractured verdict and one week after the National People's Party (NPP)-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government was installed. As the newly elected Speaker Donkupar Roy was about to put the confidence motion to vote, the leader of opposition Mukul Sangma rose up and asked which party is leading the government. "We would like to know whether it is NPP-led government, BJP-led government or a conglomeration of parties which is leading the government," the veteran Congress leader said. Cornering the BJP, Mukul said that "It is obvious that the mandate given by the people is a fractured mandate. Looking at the background of the whole election campaign, the mandate of the people is to form a government without the BJP." While informing the House that he is heading the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government-led by the NPP, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said that he has the support of the United Democratic Party, the Hill State People's Democratic Party, People's Democratic Front besides Independents. However, Sangma did not mention the name of the BJP, while BJP minister Alexander Hek and another BJP legislator Sanbor Shullai defended the saffron party of being part of the Conrad Sangma-led government. "BJP is a secular party and not anti-people," Shullai was heard shouting.
