Incumbent Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K Sangma made a frantic phone call to Union home minister Amit Shah Thursday evening — hours after the assembly results threw up a hung verdict, with the former’s National People’s Party emerging as the single largest party — setting the ball rolling for a possible NPP-led NDA government in the state for a second consecutive term.
Almost immediately, BJP, which fought elections against ally NPP, winning just two seats, offered its letter of support to Sangma. Meghalaya BJP president Ernest Mawrie wrote to the CM saying that at the directions of the party’s national president, JP Nadda, “I do hereby formally communicate with you and submit a ‘Letter of Support’ for the institution of the new government as an outcome of the results of the assembly elections. ”
However, NPP, with 26 seats, would still fall short of two legislators to reach the magic figure of 30 for forming the government.
Though Sangma is the natural choice as CM to lead an alliance with BJP, the postpoll alliance scenario isn’t clear as his government might have to explore the option of seeking support from United Democratic Party (UDP), which won 11 seats. But wooing former ally UDP will not be an easy task for Sangma as UDP chief Pilne A Sangma quit NDA demanding the chief minister’s post for the Khasi tribe, a bone of contention between the two regional parties of Meghalaya.
With UDP emerging as the second largest party, winning five seats more than in last elections, there is already speculation in political circles that it will stake claim to a larger share in power this time. In the past five years, UDP had played the role of a ‘deputy’ in the NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government.
“The party has certainly emerged stronger, reflecting aspirations of a large section of the people, especially in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills region, from where it has got its major share of seats. Therefore, its responsibilities have also increased, which will bereflected in its political moves,” said a senior political observer of Meghalaya.
Keeping in mind its constituency, the UDP manifesto had promised that the party would “continue to impress upon the Union government the need to include the Khasi and Garo languages in the 8th Schedule to the Constitution of India”.
In the current numbers game, wooing UDP is a strong option for Conrad Sangma. Another option for Sangma could be the debutant Voice of the People Party, which has won four seats, including North Shillong.
Sangma is unlikely to approach former Congress CM and arch rival Mukul Sagma, whose Trinamool Congress has made an electoral debut by winning 5 seats. Sangma is also unlikely to approach Congress, which won five seats this time, compared to 21 in the last elections.