NPP chief Conrad K Sangma meets governor, stakes claim to form govt in Meghalaya
SHILLONG: A day after the National Peoples’ Party emerged as the single largest party in Meghalaya, chief minister Conrad Sangma on Friday submitted his resignation to governor Phagu Chauhan and staked his claim to forming the next government.
After a meeting with the governor at Raj Bhavan in Shillong, Mr Sangma told reporters: “Being the single largest party, we have asked the governor to invite us to form the next government. We have also informed him that several MLAs, including two from BJP, and an Independent MLA from Baghmara have also extended their support.”
Mr Sangma was accompanied by several NPP legislators, two BJP legislators, Mr Shanbor Shullai and Mr A.L. Hek, and Mr Kartush R Marak, Independent MLA from Baghmara, who pledged support to an NPP-led coalition government. Their support implies that the NPP is just two seats short of the majority mark of 31 in the 60-member Assembly.
Mr Sangma is likely to take the oath on March 7. Sources have said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, among others, is likely to attend the swearing-in ceremony in Shillong on Tuesday.
The NPP, founded by Conrad Sangma’s father and former Lok Sabha Speaker P.A. Sangma in 2013, won 26 seats on its own in the state. Mr Sangma said he was confident he will get support from other parties as well but did not elaborate.
There is speculation that Mr Sangma may opt to take support from the Hill State Peoples’ Democratic Party (HSPDP) and Peoples’ Democratic Front, two regional parties which won two seats each. HSPDP was also part of the last government headed by Mr Sangma.
Addressing a press conference before going to Raj Bhavan, Mr Sangma asserted: “We have an absolute majority. The BJP has already 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 seats in the 60-member Assembly. The BJP has decided to back Mr Conrad Sangma. The NPP had contested the election alone following a rift over corruption allegations by the BJP against the NPP.
