PM Modi to attend swearing-in of Meghalaya, Nagaland CMs on Tuesday

Conrad K. Sangma will take oath as the chief minister of Meghalaya for the second consecutive term on Tuesday after successfully leading his National People's Party to a major victory in the assembly elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the ceremony to be held at Raj Bhavan.

"All preparations are on for the Prime Minister's visit tomorrow. He will attend the swearing-in ceremony of the chief minister and his cabinet members at the Raj Bhavan," a senior government official said on Monday. Security has been beefed up in Shillong ahead of the PM's visit.

The NPP, which bagged 26 of the 59 seats, staked claim to form the government after the BJP, UDP and HSDP extended their support, taking the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance's total strength to 45.

Sangma said the NPP will take eight cabinet berths while the UDP with 11 MLAs will get two. The BJP and HSPDP with two MLAs each will get one berth each. According to the rule, Meghalaya with a 60-member assembly cannot have more than 12 ministers including the CM.

Fifty-eight newly elected members of the Meghalaya assembly took oath on Monday with pro-tem speaker Timothy D. Shira administering the oath of office and secrecy to them. Shira, the MLA of Resubelpara, was sworn in, as the pro-tem speaker of the assembly, by Governor Phagu Chauhan at the Raj Bhavan on March 4.

After attending the swearing-in ceremony in Shillong, PM Modi will leave for Kohima and will be present at the oath-taking programme of the new Nagaland government. The BJP-NDPP alliance bagged 37 of the 60 seats in the state which appears to be heading for an oppositionless government as all other elected parties have supported it unconditionally.

On Wednesday, Modi will attend the swearing-in of the Manik Saha government in Tripura.