Rivals in polls, friends after results: 5 of 8 parties join hands to form govt in Meghalaya

They fought the Assembly elections as rivals and even levelled allegations of corruption and failure to deliver, during the campaigning. Days after the poll results, five out of eight political parties and Independents in Meghalaya, who contested the Assembly elections alone on February 27, are set to form the new government together.

A total of 45 MLAs, out of 59, who were elected on March 2, on Monday met and formed the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA 2.0), a 2018-like coalition to be headed by the homegrown National People's Party (NPP), which emerged as the single largest party with 26 seats.

"Yes, we fought the elections against each other and there was some aggressive campaigning. We used some languages and there should have been some kind of control. But those things happen during elections. But at the end of the day, we all are here to serve the people of Meghalaya," NPP president Conrad K Sangma said before he met Meghalaya Governor Phagu Chauhan again on Monday and submitted a letter of support from United Democratic Party (UDP) and People's Democratic Front (PDF), two regional parties, which lend support to the NPP-led coalition.

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On March 3, Sangma had met the Governor and staked claim to form the new government stating that he had support of 32 MLAs (26 from NPP, two each from BJP, HSPDP and Independents). But confusion prevailed after HSPDP announced that they did not "authorise" the two MLAs to support the NPP-led coalition.

On Sunday, the UDP, which emerged as the second largest party by winning 11 seats and PDF (two) met Sangma and extended their support. The UDP, PDF and HSPDP had earlier taken part in a meeting convened by Trinamool Congress leader and former CM Mukul Sangma, who tried to stitch an anti-NPP coalition this time. But UDP and PDF's decision on Sunday poured water on Mukul's bid.

Calling the development something part of "political dynamics," Mukul on Monday said the mandate in Meghalaya this time was for a change as people did not give an absolute majority to the NPP. "But we will continue to play the role of a constructive opposition," he said.

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Vincent Pala, president of Meghalaya unit of Congress alleged that by entering the coalition with the NPP, BJP and other parties "fooled and betrayed" the people of the hilly state. "PM Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda, all levelled serious allegations of corruption and failure to deliver against the NPP. Now that the elections are over, they are together again," Pala, who is a Lok Sabha Member from Shillong, said.

Conrad-led 12 member Cabinet will take oath at Shillong on Tuesday. A meeting of the MLAs on Monday decided to allot eight cabinet berths to the NPP, two to UDP and one each to BJP and HSPDP. Although the parties formed a similar coalition in 2018, they quit the MDA before the polls this time and put up candidates against each other.

Weak Opposition
With nine parties deciding to join the NPP-led new coalition, only 14 MLAs, five each of TMC and Congress and four belonging to Voice of the People Party, a new political party, remain in the Opposition now.

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In the 2018 elections, Congress had emerged as the single largest party with 21 seats but the NPP managed to stitch an alliance with the help of UDP, BJP, HSPDP and others. Conrad became Meghalaya CM for the first time.

This prevented Congress from forming its government for the third straight term. Congress remained in the Opposition with 21 seats. But Trinamool Congress suddenly became the principal Opposition party in November 2021 when 12 Congress MLAs led by Mukul Sangma joined Mamata Banerjee's party.