Meghalaya Chief Minister-designate Conrad Sangma has urged all allied parties in the state to work with a “positive mindset”.
Sangma also also expressed gratitude to the United Democratic Party and People's Democratic Front for giving support to the National People's Party in forming the government after the Sangma-led party fell short of attaining the majority in the Meghalaya Assembly polls which concluded this month.
"I appeal to all parties that the election is over and now we need to move forward with the real work. I request all parties that let us all work with a positive mindset...I thank UDP and PDF for accepting my request and giving support to NPP-led Govt," he said.
The chief minister-designate also informed that the alliance comprising NPP, BJP, UDP, and PDF will be known as Meghalaya Democratic Alliance-2.0.
"The alliance will be known as Meghalaya Democratic Alliance-2.0, all agreed as the partners are the same. We have decided to elect the Chief Minister as the Chairman of the MDA-2 as well," Sangma said.
He also laid down the cabinet berth distribution to the respective parties in the alliance and said that the NPP will bag the most number of cabinet seats.
"In the cabinet out of the 12 members, 8 will go to The National People's party, 2 will go to United Democratic Party, 1 to Hill State People's Democratic Party and 1 to BJP," he said.
The decision was taken in the meeting of the ally parties of the National People's Party (NPP) in Meghalaya held on Monday in Shillong.
On Sunday, the regional United Democratic Party (UDP) extended support to the NPP-BJP alliance, ending that drama that unfolded following the poll results.
Metbah Lyngdoh, president of UDP told ANI that UDP has extended its support to NPP to form the government.
"We (UDP and PDF) have extended our support to NPP," Metbah Lyngdoh said on Sunday.
The strength of the Conrad Sangma-led coalition has now increased to 45 and he is likely to be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Meghalaya for a consecutive second term on March 7 after being elected the NPP legislature party leader.
Earlier, BJP, two MLAs of HSPDP and two Independent MLAs had extended their support to NPP.
The swearing-in ceremony will be held at Raj Bhawan in Shillong where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also be present.
