GUWAHATI: Conrad K Sangma and Neiphiu Rio were on Tuesday sworn in as the chief ministers of Meghalaya and Nagaland respectively.
This is the second straight chief ministerial term for Sangma (45), who heads the National People’s Party (NPP) that emerged as the single largest party by bagging 26 of Meghalaya’s 60 seats.
Rio, 72, took oath as chief minister for the fifth time, second in a row as a leader of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) which won 25 seats and emerged as the single largest party in the 60-member House. He was with the Naga People’s Front (NPF) during his first three terms as chief minister.
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Sangma and Rio took oath in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah, BJP national president JP Nadda and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Later, both said they were humbled and honoured to be sworn in in the presence of PM Modi and other dignitaries.
Sangma’s five-party and 45-MLA coalition has been named Meghalaya Democratic Alliance 2.0 considering that it has been formed with the parties of previous MDA government. The constituents are NPP, BJP, United Democratic Party (UDP), Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) and People’s Democratic Front (PDF) besides two independents.
A maximum of 12 could be inducted into the ministry. The NPP kept eight ministerial berths and allotted two to UDP and one each to BJP and HSPDP. The two BJP legislators will share the five-year ministerial term for two and half years each. The only woman inducted into the ministry is former Congress minister Ampareen Lyngdoh.
The state got two deputy chief ministers, Prestone Tynsong and Sniawbhalang Dhar (both from NPP). The duo and Sangma together represent the state’s three regions. Sangma is from Garo Hills, Tynsong from Khasi Hills and Dhar from Jaintia Hills. Abu Taher Mondal is the only non-tribal to feature in Sangma’s ministry.
In Nagaland, the NDPP kept seven ministerial berths and allotted five to ally BJP. The NDPP’s Salhoutuonuo Kruse is the only woman inducted into the ministry. The two parties went to elections after striking a seat-sharing deal and won 37 seats – 25 by NDPP and 12 by BJP.