Conrad Sangma urges parties to work for Meghalaya with ‘positive mindset’

Meghalaya Chief Minister-designate Conrad Sangma on Monday urged all parties to work with a "positive mindset" for the state. He also expressed gratitude to the United Democratic Party and People's Democratic Front for giving support to the National People's Party in forming the government after the Sangma-led party fell short of attaining the majority in the Meghalaya Assembly polls which concluded this month.

"I appeal to all parties that the election is over and now we need to move forward with the real work. I request all parties that let us all work with a positive mindset...I thank UDP and PDF for accepting my request and giving support to NPP-led Govt," Sangma said.

He informed that the alliance comprising NPP, BJP, UDP, and PDF will be known as Meghalaya Democratic Alliance-2.0."The alliance will be known as Meghalaya Democratic Alliance-2.0, all agreed as the partners are the same. We have decided to elect the Chief Minister as the Chairman of the MDA-2 as well," he said.

The Chief Minister-designate also laid down the cabinet berth distribution to the respective parties in the alliance and said that the NPP will bag the most number of cabinet seats. "In the cabinet out of the 12 members, 8 will go to The National People's party, 2 will go to United Democratic Party, 1 to Hill State People's Democratic Party and 1 to BJP," he said.

The decision was taken in the meeting of the ally parties of the National People's Party (NPP) in Meghalaya held on Monday in Shillong. However, the drama that unfolded in Meghalaya comes to an end with the regional United Democratic Party (UDP) extending support to the NPP-BJP alliance on Sunday.

Metbah Lyngdoh, president of UDP told ANI that UDP has extended its support to NPP to form the government.

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"We (UDP and PDF) have extended our support to NPP," Metbah Lyngdoh said on Sunday. The strength of the Conrad Sangma-led coalition has now increased to 45 and he is likely to be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Meghalaya for a consecutive second term on March 7 after being elected the NPP legislature party leader.