New govts to take oath in Meghalaya, Nagaland; PM Modi to attend ceremonies

A coalition government led by NPP leader and outgoing chief minister Conrad Sangma will be sworn in on Tuesday morning in Meghalaya, while an all-party government led by NDDP’s Neiphiu Rio will take oath later in the day in Nagaland.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose BJP party is a junior partner in both the governments, is likely to attend the swearing in ceremony at both the capitals of these two north-eastern states, according to officials.

Fifth term for Rio

Seventy-two-year-old Rio, who will be chief minister for a fifth term, will lead an all-party government with no opposition in his state.

Also read: Nagaland heading for ‘Opposition-less’ govt

Nagaland had an all party government twice before but in both cases parties came together in a bid to have a united front for tripartite talks with the central government and former rebels of the NSCN (IM) to finalise a long-awaited peace accord in the border state.

The NDPP-BJP coalition, in the recently concluded Nagaland polls, won 37 seats in the 60-member Assembly. All other parties in the state subsequently extended their letters of support to the Rio-led alliance.

In Meghalaya, the NPP-led alliance, with 45 MLAs supporting it, including two from the BJP, has staked claim to form government.

Sangma’s cabinet

NPP head Conrad K Sangma, whose party won 26 seats in the February 27 elections, will take oath as the chief minister on Tuesday, along with other cabinet ministers.

Also read: New Meghalaya cabinet to have 8 NPP ministers: Conrad Sangma

On Monday, 58 newly elected MLAs were sworn in as members of the assembly with pro-tem speaker Timothy D Shira administering the oath of office and secrecy to them.

Sangma, who will be sworn in as the CM for a second consecutive term, was also present at the ceremony.

(With agency inputs)