Eight ministers, including five dissident Congress MLAs who along with some others triggered the ouster of former chief minister D D Lapang and three former ministers, were today sworn-in by Governor R S Mooshahary.
Senior Congress MLA Rowell Lyngdoh took the oath of office as the State’s deputy chief minister.
Besides him, H D R Lyngdoh, F W Momin, Augustine Marak and F S Cajee - all of whom were a part of the dissident group that raked up a revolt against Mr. Lapang after he failed to meet their demands for inclusion in the ministry, were also sworn-in as ministers.
R C Laloo, Prestone Tynsong and the lone woman MLA Ampareen Lyngdoh retained their berths.
On Friday, the State government had appointed Mr. Lapang as the chief advisor to the State government with perks and facilities entitled to the chief minister.
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said 17 legislators would be appointed as Parliamentary Secretaries and they would be sworn-in next week.
“We want to ensure that the services of everybody in the government are utilised to the optimum. There are many areas where the public representatives can deliver,” he said after the swearing-in ceremony.
Asked if he would be able to provide a stable government, Mr. Sangma quipped, “Wait and see. I am optimistic. People want stability and we will provide it with performance.”
The portfolios of the ministers would be distributed by tonight.
Along with Mr. Sangma, United Democratic Party leader B M Lanong was also sworn-in as deputy chief minister, while his party colleague J A Lyngdoh and Independent A T Mondol also took the oath of office and secrecy as ministers on Tuesday.
All the three had similar posts in the last ministry.
