PM on 2-day NE tour for swearing-in ceremonies, to attend Assam cabinet meeting
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a two-day visit to the North East from Tuesday, during which he will attend the oath taking ceremonies of new governments in three states of the region.
He will also attend a cabinet meeting of the Assam government during his overnight stay in the state, Assam Health Minister Keshab Mahanta said on Monday.
Coalitions backed by BJP have retained power in Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura, results of which were declared on March 2 and the new governments will take oath in two days beginning on Tuesday. Addressing a press conference after a Cabinet meeting, Mahanta said the prime minister will arrive at the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport here at 10 am on Tuesday and will fly to Meghalaya directly from there.
The NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance with 32 MLAs led by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has staked claim to form the government for the second consecutive term in the state. BJP which is an ally of the MDA has been alloted a berth in the new ministry.
NPP, which has won 26 out of the total 60 seats will take the lions share of eight cabinet berths and allies UDP will get two and HSPDP, like BJP will get a single berth in the ministry, Sangma said.
After attending the swearing-in ceremony in Shillong, he will leave for Kohima and will be present at the oath-taking programme of the new Nagaland government, Mahanta said.
In Nagaland the pre-poll alliance of the NDPP-BJP has 37 of the 60 seats and the state appears to be heading for an oppositionless government as all other elected parties have supported it unconditionally. Mahanta said the prime minister will return to Guwahati airport at 5 pm tomorrow and meet the Assam cabinet at the State Guest House here at 6.45 p m, he said. The prime minister will fly out to Tripura capital Agartala at 9.40 AM on Wednesday to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the new government of that state and return to New Delhi from there, he said. The minister said though specific details on the agenda for Tuesdays cabinet meeting with Modi is not known, it is expected that the working of all departments will be discussed. The implementation of the central governments schemes will also be reviewed, he said. The Assam cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, discussed preparations for the prime ministers visit. The governors customary speech which will be made on the first day of Budget session on Friday was also dwelt on, Mahanta added.
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