Upsetting the Congress’s plans to form the government in Meghalaya, the non-Congress parties have come together to stake claim and will meet the Governor on Sunday evening.
The National People’s Party chief Conrad Sangma is likely to be the chief ministerial candidate for the alliance.
BJP leader and Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that a delegation of National People’s Party, United Democratic Party, Bharatiya Janata Party and Hill State People’s Democratic Party would meet the Governor of Meghalaya at 5 p.m. to stake claim to form government.
“We have support of 29 MLAs in the 59 member House. The number is likely to increase by evening,” Mr. Sarma said.
Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju outside UDP president Donkupar Roy's residence in Shillong.
The NPP has 19 MLAs , the UDP has six, and the BJP and HSPDP have two each. UDP president Donkupar Roy said that his support comes on the condition that NPP MP Conrad Sangma, the son of former Lok Sabha Speaker P.A. Sangma, would be the Chief Minister.
The non-Congress parties are also hoping for the support of three Independent MLAs and four MLAs from the People’s Democratic Front. Congress, which has emerged as the single largest party, has 21 MLAs and has already staked claim to form the government.
UDP president Donkupar Roy said that the Congress CM Mukul Sangma came with a proposal to support its claim but the party decided to go for a non-Congress government ‘for the sake of stability’.
“I spoke to some PDF MLAs and they are also in favour of non-Congress government,” Mr Roy said.
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