Conrad Sangma is likely to take the pledge as Meghalaya principal minister on March 7. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to attend the ceremony. Sangma, whose National People’s Party surfaced as the single largest party in the Assembly election, submitted his abdication to Meghalaya Governor Phagu Chauhan on Friday and staked a claim to form a new government. Sangma, the gregarious chief minister, claimed that he has an “absolute maturity with 32 MLAs” on his side but refused to give details of supporting parties.
The NPP surfaced as the single-largest party in Meghalaya on Thursday, winning 26 seats out of the 59 constituencies that went to bounce on February 27. The United Democratic PARTY (UDP), which was the NPP’s supporter in the last government, surfaced as the alternate-largest party, winning 11 constituencies. It had won only six seats in the 2018 elections. The Congress, which won just five seats, nominated the renewed tie-up an “incongruity”, noting that the BJP’s central leadership had described Mr Sangma government as one of the “most loose” in the country. Congress MLA Ronny V Lyngdoh, who won from the Mylliem assembly constituency, said the opposition will continue to work with “like- inclined” parties despite facing a defeat.
Addressing a press conference before going to Raj Bhawan, Sangma said, “We have absolute maturity. The BJP has formally extended its support. Some others have also given their support.” The National People’s Party was the single largest party with 26 seats, while the BJP won two in the 60-member assembly. The BJP has decided to back Conrad Sangma. The NPP had decided to dispute solo ahead of the election, following a rift over corruption allegations by the BJP against the NPP. The United Democratic Party, which was NPP’s supporter, surfaced as the alternate-largest party, winning 11 seats. The Trinamool Congress and the Congress won five seats each. According to EC, Sangma has defeated his rival Bernard Marak of the BJP and won the South Tura constituency.