Conrad reiterates support of 32, says invited by Governor

A confident Conrad Sangma, however, reiterated that he has the support of 32 MLAs — one more than the number required to form a government in the 60-seat House. “The swearing-in ceremony will be held on the 7th [March]. We are expecting the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister, as well as other political leaders, to attend,” he told reporters in Shillong.

Conrad’s announcement came after two days of drama, with separate political formations claiming they had the numbers to form the government. Even as the politicking unfolded, the numbers seemed to be with Conrad’s NPP and allies, which includes BJP.

The United Democratic Party, a former ally of NPP, was also working hard to stitch up a non-NPP, non-BJP coalition, with the help of other parties, including Mukul Sangma’s Trinamool Congress.

After the results threw up a fractured mandate on Thursday, BJP, with two MLAs, extended support to the NPP, which had emerged as the single-largest party with 26 seats. After securing support of two more Independent legislators, Conrad had on Friday submitted a letter of support with signatures of 32 MLAs. This included the two legislators from HSPDP.

On Saturday, PTI quoted NPP’s Prestone Tynsong saying that HSPDP MLA Dkhar’s office in Shillong was set on fire, allegedly by members of his own party in an act of protest. Members of various pressure groups reportedly burnt effigies of the legislators and have given them a deadline of March 6 to return to the alternative regional alliance.

Hours after the protest, Conrad said the MLAs will “decide who they want to support”. He said, “NGOs [pressure groups] have their own concern. That’s separate from electoral politics.”

Stating that the events were “completely unacceptable”, Conrad said, “Once a mandate is given, people of Meghalaya and people of the country have always accepted (it), and accordingly moved forward. So, this is unacceptable…very sad.”

While the regional parties aiming to establish an alternative coalition have said that they want the “corrupt” NPP-BJP alliance out of power, there is also a buzz that pressure groups are rallying behind them because they want a Khasi chief minister. For the last 13 years, the state has had a Garo CM — first Mukul Sangma, and then Conrad Sangma.

Responding to this line of thought, Conrad told reporters: “Sentiments are always there but ultimately it is people’s mandate that we should all accept…. It is not about [whether] a person from a particular community has to be there, or should not be there…that is not how democracy works. It is based on the mandate given by people…”