Mukul Manda Sangma was Tuesdaysworn-in as the Meghalaya chief minister for the second time in a row.
Governor R.S. Mooshahary administered the oath of office to the 47-year-oldleader who was seen as the architect of the Congress's victory in the assemblyelections in this mountainous northeastern state, on the lawns of the RajBhavan.
Mukul Sangma will announce the list of his council of ministers later thisweek.
"I have been directed by madam (Congress chief Sonia Gandhi) to take oathalone and will expand the ministry after consultation with party highcommand," Mukul Sangma told IANS.
The Congress emerged the single largest party with 29 seats - two short of amajority in the 60-member house. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), whichsecured two seats, and 11 independent legislators have extended"unconditional support" to the Congress.
Party sources said Sonia Gandhi endorsed Sangma's name as the CongressLegislature Party (CLP) leader for the impressive wins in the Garo Hillsregion, considered the stronghold of her bete noire, former Lok Sabha speakerPurno A. Sangma.
The Congress has won 13 of the 24 seats in Garo Hills districts, while thetribal-centric National People's Party (NPP) founded by Purno Sangma managedonly two.
James Sangma, the eldest son of Purno Sangma, and Nihim D. Shira were the onlyNPP candidates who managed to win.
In 2008, the Congress won seven seats in the Garo Hills, while the NCP, underPurno Sangma's leadership, won 15 seats in the state, including 13 in the GaroHills.
Mukul Sangma took oath as the state's 26th chief minister in the presence ofhundreds of Congress legislators, leaders of other political groupings andsenior government officials.
He first assumed office April 20, 2010, replacing veteran Congress leader D.D.Lapang.
Mukul Sangma, a medical practitioner, gave up his government job as medical andhealth officer in Tura health centre and plunged into the electoral fray in1993.
He contested and won the Ampatigiri assembly constituency in West Garo Hills asan independent candidate. There was no looking back for him since then.
At the age of 33, Mukul Sangma bagged a cabinet berth and held various posts asminister of taxation, information and public relations and others.
In 2005, he was appointed deputy chief minister in-charge of home and educationdepartments. But he was forced to quit after the Garo Hills police firing, inwhich nine people lost their lives, over the Meghalaya Board of SchoolEducation issue.
