Meghalaya Governor Ganga Prasad invited BJP-backed Nationalist People's Party (NPP) on Sunday evening to form the next government in the state, capping a day of high drama in the hills that also saw the Congress staking claim to stay in power. NPP leader Conrad Sangma, who is currently a Lok Sabha MP from Tura, will be sworn in as the chief minister in Shillong on Tuesday.
In a way, this marks a 3:0 for the BJP, as its ally NDPP staked claimed to form government in Nagaland, a day after the saffron party wrested Left bastion Tripura. It's a massive setback for the Congress which emerged as the single-largest party in Meghalaya but let the state slip away — in a replay of its fate in last year's Goa and Manipur elections.
NPP, which won 19 seats in Meghalaya's 60-member Assembly, will form the government with a coalition stitched from a bouquet of regional parties and the BJP — taking the tally to 34. Apart from the NPP's 19 seats, the United Democratic Party (UDP) won six seats, the People's Democratic Front (PDF) won four, while the Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP) won two. BJP had bagged two seats in the state.
NDA already controls Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. Congress-ruled Mizoram will vote later this year. Sikkim is ruled by CM Pawan Chamling, founder president of the Sikkim Democratic Front.
Northeast Democratic Alliance (NEDA) convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the BJP's expansion in the region is now complete. "Today, the NDA and the BJP will have formed a government in seven out of the eight states. The Congress, even during its peak, had not achieved this feat. The BJP's expansion in the region is complete. And, we are here to stay," Sarma told DNA.
Speaking to DNA soon after meeting the Governor, Conrad said that while the next few days will be crucial, he is hopeful of a stable government.
"All of our coalition partners have given us the mandate to form an anti-Congress front, and we will ensure that Meghalaya has a stable government," he said.
Incumbent Congress had sent in leaders Ahmed Patel, Kamal Nath and Mukul Wasnik soon after the the party emerged as the single largest outfit with 21 seats. Patel and Nath, along with Congress's Northeast in-charge CP Joshi, met the Governor late Saturday night to stake claim to form government.
Furious parleys came to a head at the doorstep of UDP leader Donkupar Roy with both Himanta Biswa Sarma and outgoing CM Mukul Sangma landing up at almost the same time.
It did not take too long for Roy to declare that his party's support lies with NPP. A miffed Mukul Sangma later told reporters, while tendering his resignation, that the BJP is shooting from the shoulders of smaller parties.
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