SHILLONG : National People’s Party leader Conrad Sangma on Tuesday was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Meghalaya. Cornad, son of late Lok Sabha Speaker P.A. Sangma, has also served as Deputy Chief Minister of the State in the past.

The oath and Office of Secrecy was administered by Meghalaya Governor Ganga Prasad. The non-Congress parties – NPP, UDP, BJP and HSPDP – came together to form a coalition government in the Hills State. Congress, although emerged as the single largest party winning 21 seats, failed to form the government.
Here is the list of ministers:
Prestone Tynsong, James K Sangma, Alexander L Hek, Snaiwbhalang Dhar, Comingone Ymbon, Metbah Lygdoh, Lahkmen Rymbui, Kyrmen Shylla, Banteidor Lngdoh, Hamleston Dohling, Salmin Malngiang.
Conrad Sangma, the 40-year-old chief of the National People’s Party (NPP) at the head of a five-party coalition. Eleven other ministers also took oath this morning. The BJP is one of the partners.
Conrad Sangma had admitted that it wasn’t going to be easy running a coalition government.
“It is never easy,” Mr Sangma,but said he hoped that the the coalition led by his NPP would deliver on its mandate. Conrad’s NPP has won 19 seats in the assembly elections and has the support of six legislators from the United Democratic Party, four from People’s Democratic Front (PDF), and two each from the HSPDP and the BJP, besides an Independent lawmaker Samuel Sangma.

The Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) leader Basaiawmoit said there was no need for the BJP to be part of the coalition when Meghalaya’s regional parties had the numbers to form the government on their own.
“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,” Mr Basaiawmoit said, according to news agency PTI.
He also questioned the choice of Mr Sangma as the next chief minister when even the NPP had projected another leader, Prestone Tynsong, as the party’s presumptive chief minister.

Basaiawmoit later led his party leaders to the residence of United Democratic Party president Donkupar Roy expressing “disappointment and disagreement” to the proposal made by the UDP that Conrad Sangma should be the CM.

“This decision was taken unilaterally by the UDP and without consulting us. It is the job of the alliance to decide who should lead the government,” he said. No party won a majority in Meghalaya, but the Congress emerged as the largest party winning 21 seats in the assembly election, results for which were announced on Saturday.
But the party’s effective strength is 20 since outgoing chief minister Mukul Sangma had won from two seats. (With Agency Inputs ).