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Latest update: Preparations are underway for the swearing-in ceremony for the new Meghalaya government. The first non-Congress government in 15 years in Meghalaya is set to be sworn-in on Tuesday morning. Conrad Sangma will take charge as chief minister, following an Assembly election that threw up a fractured mandate and disagreements within the various factions of the alliance that ultimately joined hands. [caption id=“attachment_4294071” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of NPP leader Conrad Sangma. Twitter @sangmaconrad[/caption] The HSPDP, a constituency of the National People’s Party (NPP)-led coalition that would form government in Meghalaya, said on Monday that the BJP should have been kept out of the alliance as the regional parties together had the required number. A party meeting also decided that the two MLAs it has will not take part in the swearing-in ceremony of Conrad K Sangma as chief minister on Tuesday, HSPDP president Ardent Basaiawmoit told reporters in Shillong. The Hills State Peoples Democratic Party (HSPDP) has won two seats in the election, but its president has lost to an independent candidate by only 76 votes. “Our stand right from before the election was to have a non-Congress non-BJP government. We now see there is a possibility to have such a government where the NPP-led coalition could have easily been formed with 32 MLAs,” Basaiawmoit said. In the 60-member Assembly with an effective strength of 59, at least 30 seats is required to form majority. Conrad K Sangma has the support of 34 MLAs - his own party the NPP (19 seats), the BJP (2), the UDP (6), the PDF (4), the HSPDP (2) and an Independent. The Congress was the single largest party bagging 21 seats. The HSPDP chief said the regional parties together had the required number to form government. The party’s two MLAs are signatories to the letter of support to the NPP-led coalition government.
Meghalaya swearing-in ceremony as it happened: Conrad Sangma takes oath as chief minister; Union ministers in attendance
The first non-Congress government in 15 years in Meghalaya is set to be sworn-in on Tuesday morning.
 "Meghalaya swearing-in ceremony as it happened: Conrad Sangma takes oath as chief minister; Union ministers in attendance")
Rajnath Singh confident that Meghalaya will prioritise development with the new govt
Congratulations and my best wishes to Shri Conrad Sangma on being sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Meghalaya. I am confident that he and his team of ministers will put the state back on a development track.
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) March 6, 2018
Rajnath Singh confident that Meghalaya will prioritise development with the new govt
Congratulations and my best wishes to Shri Conrad Sangma on being sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Meghalaya. I am confident that he and his team of ministers will put the state back on a development track.
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) March 6, 2018
Conrad Sangma to lead govt with 34 MLAs
Conrad K Sangma has the support of 34 MLAs — the NPP (19 seats), the BJP (2), the UDP (6), the PDF (4), the HSPDP (2) and an Independent.
Council of Ministers take oath of office in Shillong
Council of Ministers being sworn-in at oath ceremony in Meghalaya's Shillong pic.twitter.com/SUWZEQ34cZ
— ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2018
Even with most seats, Congress will sit in Opposition in Meghalaya
The Congress, which emerged as the single largest party with 21 seats in the elections, could not stitch a post-poll alliance with the regional parties to retain power.
Meghalaya is the second state, after Manipur and Goa, where the Congress has not been able to forge a post-poll alliance to form a government despite emerging as the largest single party.
Rajnath Singh congratulates Conrad Sangma
I congratulate Conrad Sangma. There was a perception that only Congress party can survive in the north-east but now that BJP has gained victory here that perception will change: Union Minister Rajnath Singh in Shillong pic.twitter.com/jlecHyAquu
— ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2018
Meghalaya gets a new chief minister
NPP's Conrad Sangma sworn-in as Meghalaya chief minister pic.twitter.com/xBmGgaqeni
— ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2018
Follow live video coverage of the event here
#WATCH Oath taking ceremony of Meghalaya CM elect Conrad Sangma and others in Shillong https://t.co/uraKkvfdhQ
— ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2018
Conrad Sangma takes oath as Meghalaya chief minister
NPP's Conrad Sangma takes oath as Meghalaya CM in Shillong. pic.twitter.com/bDZB4KnLM7
— ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2018
HSPDP MLAs to not attend swearing-in ceremony
A party meeting decided that the two MLAs of HSPDP will not take part in the swearing-in ceremony of Conrad K Sangma as chief minister on Tuesday, HSPDP president Ardent Basaiawmoit told reporters in Shillong.
NPP ally HSPDP attacks BJP’s participation in ruling coalition day before swearing-in
The HSPDP, a constituency of the National People’s Party (NPP)-led coalition that would form government in Meghalaya, said on Monday that the BJP should have been kept out of the alliance as the regional parties together had the required number.
“Our stand right from before the election was to have a non-Congress, non-BJP government. We now see there is a possibility to have such a government where the NPP-led coalition could have easily been formed with 32 MLAs,” HSPDP president Ardent Basaiawmoit said.
Union ministers arrive for the swearing-in ceremony in Shillong
#Meghalaya Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP President Amit Shah arrive for oath taking ceremony of Meghalaya CM elect Conrad Sangma & others in Shillong pic.twitter.com/ehx91TcaUT
— ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2018
Sangma will become Meghalaya’s 12th chief minister on Tuesday
#TopStory: National People's Party (NPP) president Conrad Sangma to take oath as the chief minister of #Meghalaya in Shillong today (File Pic) pic.twitter.com/i9hk6QPQmG
— ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2018
‘NPP has met conditions set by regional parties’
The regional parties — UDP, HSPDP and PDF — had extended their support to NPP on the condition that Conrad, the youngest son of former Lok Sabha Speaker PA Sangma, would be chief minister.
“NPP has agreed to the condition set by the three regional parties and I will be the chief minister,” Conrad said following the negotiations.
Conrad, who will be a non-elected member of the 60-member Assembly, will be administered oath of office and secrecy along with his Council of Ministers. He will become the state’s 12th chief minister.
Conrad Sangma to be next chief minister with support of 34 MLAs
With support of 34 MLAs in the 60-member Assembly, National People’s Party (NPP) chief Conrad Sangma met Governor Ganga Prasad in Shillong on Sunday to stake his claim to form the next government in the state.
“We met the governor and submitted a letter of support from 34 MLAs: Two of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), 19 from the NPP, six of the United Democratic Party (UDP), four of the People’s Democratic Front (PDF), two from the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP), and one Independent,” Sangma said.
Preparations underway for oath-taking ceremony
#Meghalaya: Visuals of preparation of oath taking ceremony of Meghalaya CM elect Conrad Sangma & others in Shillong pic.twitter.com/QpgBNpSoOk
— ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2018
Here’s a hilarious take by Manjul:
HSPDP expresses reservations about CM candidate
National People’s Party (NPP) supremo Conrad Kongkal Sangma will be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Meghalaya on Tuesday even as the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) expressed reservation in forming the government with the BJP.
The HSPDP, which has stitched a post-poll alliance with the NPP, also objected to the lone NPP Lok Sabha member Sangma being projected as the chief minister.
But the HSPDP legislators — Renikton Lyngdoh and Samlin Malngiang — have signed the letter of support, which was handed over to Governor Ganga Prasad on Sunday projecting Sangma as their leader to lead the non-Congress government.
**Click here to read the full _IANS_ report.**
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