Days after the election results in three Northeastern States — Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura — NPP chief Conrad K Sangma was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Meghalaya on Tuesday. Sangma will lead a collation regime consisting of the BJP and regional outfits.
The BJP-Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) coalition Government in Nagaland is expected to take oath on Thursday.
In Tripura, a BJP Government is likely to be sworn in on Friday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to be present during the swearing-in ceremony.
Meghalaya Governor Ganga Prasad administered the oath of office and secrecy to Sangma, who was projected as the leader of the new alliance, Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA), supported by United Democratic Party (UDP), Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), BJP and Independent.
A total of 11 legislators were administered the oath of office and secrecy.
Sangma — a lok Sabha member from Tura and son of former lok Sabha Speaker late Purno A Sangma — is a non-elected member in the 60-member Assembly. He will have to get elected to the Meghalaya legislative Assembly in next six months.
“The real challenge begins today. We are going to work together with all the political parties to take the State forward on path of development,” Sangma told the mediapersons after the swearing-in ceremony.
“In coalition Government, there will always be challenges but we are ready to face the challenges. We all must work together respecting each other as a team and then only we can take the State towards development,” said Sangma.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP national president Amit Shah were also present in the swearing-in ceremony. “Northeastern States are becoming Congress-mukt one after another. It’s a matter of pride that most of the Northeastern States are now having either a BJP Government or a NDA Government,” said Rajnath Singh.
Former Nagaland Chief Minister and lok Sabha member from Nagaland, Neiphu Rio, who was also present on the occasion, hinted that an NDPP and BJP-led Government will be sworn in Nagaland on Thursday. “We have been a part of the BJP for last several years. We have the required numbers to form the Government and handed over the list of legislators to the State Governor,” Rio told mediapersons in Shillong on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the BJP legislators in Tripura elected State party president Biplab Kumar Deb as leader of the legislator party in presence of Central observers.
Union Minister and Senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari and Juel Oram met the BJP legislators in Tripura and announced that while Deb will be the Chief Minister, BJP’s tribal leader Jishnu Debbarma will be the Deputy Chief Minister.
After the announcement, Deb accompanied by Gadkari met Governor Tathagata Roy at the Raj Bhavan and staked claim to form a BJP Government.