Conrad Sangma urges parties to work for Meghalaya with "positive mindset"

Meghalaya Chief Minister-designate Conrad Sangma on Monday urged all parties to work with a "positive mindset" for the state.

He also expressed gratitude to the United Democratic Party and People's Democratic Front for giving support to the National People's Party in forming the government after the Sangma-led party fell short of attaining the majority in the Meghalaya Assembly polls which concluded this month.

"I appeal to all parties that the election is over and now we need to move forward with the real work. I request all parties that let us all work with a positive mindset...I thank UDP and PDF for accepting my request and giving support to NPP-led Govt," Sangma said.

He informed that the alliance comprising NPP, BJP, UDP, and PDF will be known as Meghalaya Democratic Alliance-2.0.

"The alliance will be known as Meghalaya Democratic Alliance-2.0, all agreed as the partners are the same. We have decided to elect the Chief Minister as the Chairman of the MDA-2 as well," he said.

The Chief Minister-designate also laid down the cabinet berth distribution to the respective parties in the alliance and said that the NPP will bag the most number of cabinet seats.

"In the cabinet out of the 12 members, 8 will go to The National People's party, 2 will go to United Democratic Party, 1 to Hill State People's Democratic Party and 1 to BJP," he said.

The decision was taken in the meeting of the ally parties of the National People's Party (NPP) in Meghalaya held on Monday in Shillong.

However, the drama that unfolded in Meghalaya comes to an end with the regional United Democratic Party (UDP) extending support to the NPP-BJP alliance on Sunday.

Metbah Lyngdoh, president of UDP toldthat UDP has extended its support to NPP to form the government.

"We (UDP and PDF) have extended our support to NPP," Metbah Lyngdoh said on Sunday.

The strength of the Conrad Sangma-led coalition has now increased to 45 and he is likely to be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Meghalaya for a consecutive second term on March 7 after being elected the NPP legislature party leader.

Earlier, BJP, two MLAs of HSPDP and two Independent MLAs extended their support to NPP.

The swearing-in ceremony will be held at Raj Bhawan in Shillong where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also be present.

Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma won from the South Tura constituency with a margin of 5,016 against Bharatiya Janata Party's Bernard N Marak, as per the data shared by the Election Commission of India on March 2.

United Democratic Party (UDP) bagged 11 seats in the results of assembly polls announced on Thursday. Congress won five seats. Trinamool Congress, which had inducted all Congress MLAs in the previous assembly, also got five seats.

BJP, People's Democratic Front and Hill State People's Democratic Party bagged two seats each. Voice of the People Party got four seats. Two seats were won by independent candidates.

BJP and NPP were partners in the outgoing government but fought the assembly polls separately.

( With inputs from ANI )

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