The first non-Congress government in 15 years in Meghalaya is set to be sworn-in on Tuesday morning.
Conrad Sangma will take charge as chief minister, following an Assembly election that threw up a fractured mandate and disagreements within the various factions of the alliance that ultimately joined hands.
File image of NPP leader Conrad Sangma. Twitter @sangmaconrad
The HSPDP, a constituency of the National People's Party (NPP)-led coalition that would form government in Meghalaya, said on Monday that the BJP should have been kept out of the alliance as the regional parties together had the required number.
A party meeting also decided that the two MLAs it has will not take part in the swearing-in ceremony of Conrad K Sangma as chief minister on Tuesday, HSPDP president Ardent Basaiawmoit told reporters in Shillong.
The Hills State Peoples Democratic Party (HSPDP) has won two seats in the election, but its president has lost to an independent candidate by only 76 votes.
"Our stand right from before the election was to have a non-Congress non-BJP government. We now see there is a possibility to have such a government where the NPP-led coalition could have easily been formed with 32 MLAs," Basaiawmoit said.
In the 60-member Assembly with an effective strength of 59, at least 30 seats is required to form majority.
Conrad K Sangma has the support of 34 MLAs - his own party the NPP (19 seats), the BJP (2), the UDP (6), the PDF (4), the HSPDP (2) and an Independent.
The Congress was the single largest party bagging 21 seats.
The HSPDP chief said the regional parties together had the required number to form government.
The party's two MLAs are signatories to the letter of support to the NPP-led coalition government.
Published Date: Mar 06, 2018 09:07 AM | Updated Date: Mar 06, 2018 09:58 AM
Highlights
09:58 (IST)
Preparations underway for oath-taking ceremony
09:51 (IST)
Here's a hilarious take by Manjul:
09:15 (IST)
HSPDP expresses reservations about CM candidate
National People's Party (NPP) supremo Conrad Kongkal Sangma will be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Meghalaya on Tuesday even as the Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP) expressed reservation in forming the government with the BJP.
The HSPDP, which has stitched a post-poll alliance with the NPP, also objected to the lone NPP Lok Sabha member Sangma being projected as the chief minister.
But the HSPDP legislators — Renikton Lyngdoh and Samlin Malngiang — have signed the letter of support, which was handed over to Governor Ganga Prasad on Sunday projecting Sangma as their leader to lead the non-Congress government.
Click here to read the full IANS report.