Road To Shillong Not Easy For NPP-BJP Yet. HSPDP Pulls Out Day After Its MLAs Extended Support

Conrad Sangma-led bloc boasted 32 MLAs' support on Friday, however, HSPDP later withdrew their support of two MLAs leaving the NPP-BJP side just shy away from the magic figures.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma in a meeting with Meghalaya Governor Phagu Chauhan to submit his resignation and stake claim to form the government, in Shillong, Friday, March 3, 2023.

Source : PTI

Hours after National People's Party (NPP) chief Conrad Sangma submitted the letter of support of 32 MLAs from different parties to Governor Phagu Chauhan on Friday staking a claim to form the government in Meghalaya, the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) withdrew its claim of support. In a letter from HSPDP to former Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, the party said it "did not authorise" the two winning MLAs to lend their support to NPP.

"With all due respect, the Hills State People's Democratic Party did not authorize the two MLAs, i.e. Methodius Dkhar (MLA) & Shakliar Warjri (MLA) to lend support to the formation of your Government as we have seen through the press/media report. The Party has no role in this affair and therefore withdraw our support to your party. Kindly act immediately that the party withdraw support effective from today, i.e., the 3 March 2023," the letter signed by the HSPDP president and secretary stated.

The letter from HSPDP has thrown a wrench in Conrad Sangma's overall scheme for the oath-taking ceremony scheduled for March 7.

Overall Equation To Reach Magic Figure

NPP emerged as the single-largest party in Meghalaya, bagging 26 of the 59 seats that went to polls on February 27. The UDP emerged as the second-largest party winning 11 constituencies. The Congress and the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC won five seats each while the newly formed Voice of the People Party (VPP) won four assembly seats. The BJP, HSPDP, and PDF won two seats each, while two Independent candidates also emerged victorious. 

In his letter submitted to the Governor today, Sangma claimed the support of two BJP and HSPDP MLAs, besides the support of two Independents, making a total of 32. 

"In all, we have the support of 32 MLAs. Apart from NPP's 26 legislators, two each are from the BJP and HSPDP, besides two Independent lawmakers. All of them have signed the letter. We are talking to some more parties and their MLAs. So, the number is likely to go up in the coming days," Sangma said after his meeting with Governor.

With HSPDP removing their claim of support, NPP rolls down just behind the magic figure. 

Meanwhile, TMC is breathing down heavily on NPP-BJP's plan to form the government as parleys continued in order to form a 'non-NPP, non-BJP' government.

Trinamool Congress is trying to rally along with Congress, UDP, PDF and VPP which makes this bloc's total 27.

With HSPDP removing their claim from the NPP-BJP government, their swing may push a case of formation of a government in Meghalaya which does not include NPP or BJP.