New Delhi: After winning 26 seats in the Meghalaya elections, National People’s Party NPP leader Conrad Sangma today took oath as the chief minister for the second time in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president JP Nadda and other dignitaries.
The 45-year-old leader has been administered the oath as the 13th chief minister by Governor Phagu Chauhan at a function held at the Raj Bhavan in Shillong.
Seven other MLAs from the National People's Party (NPP), two from the UDP and one each from BJP and HSPDP were also administered the oath of secrecy as ministers in Conrad Sangma's cabinet.
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.
The coalition backed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured a majority of the seats in Meghalaya.
Meanwhile, two major regional parties – the United Democratic Party (UDP), which bagged 11 seats, and the People's Democratic Front (PDF) – on Sunday extended their support to the Conrad K Sangma-led NPP alliance, increasing the number of MLAs backing the coalition to 45.
The coalition led by Conrad Sangma will form the government for the second consecutive term in the state.
NPP has won 26 out of a total of 60 seats. It will take eight cabinet berths, BJP will get a single berth, United Democratic Party (UDP) will get two berths, and Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP) will get one berth.
Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma won from the South Tura constituency with a margin of 5,016 against BJP's Bernard N Marak.
United Democratic Party (UDP) won 11 seats, while Congress bagged five seats. Trinamool Congress (TMC), which had inducted all Congress MLAs in the previous assembly, also got five seats.
Meghalaya has 60 assembly seats but polling in the Sohiong constituency was adjourned after the demise of UDP nominee H D R Lyngdoh.
The House will again meet on March 9 for the election of the speaker.