Cong defectors get Cabinet berths; five first-timers on list

SHILLONG: With the NPP president and Tura MP Conrad Sangma set to become the chief minister of the newly formed Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) on Tuesday, his council of ministers will include 4 from NPP, 3 from UDP, 2 from PDF and one each from BJP and HSPDP.
All the 12 members will be sworn in by Governor Ganga Prasad at 10.30 am at the sprawling Raj Bhavan lawn.
Sources said the NPP MLAs who will be inducted into the Cabinet are Prestone Tynsong, Sniawbhalang Dhar, James K Sangma and Comingone Ymbon.
Except James, the other three legislators in the capacity of being Congress members were part of the Congress-led government.
Former chief minister and the outgoing Opposition Leader Donkupar Roy will be the new Speaker of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.
Roy agreed to opt for the chair of the Assembly Speaker of the new House. He, however, said he would wait for the election of the Speaker in the House.
He also informed that the UDP nominees for the Cabinet berth are Metbah Lyngdoh, Kyrmen Shylla and Lahkmen Rymbui.
Shylla is a first-time MLA. The trio will be the newcomers in the Cabinet.
The PDF MLAs who found place in the Cabinet are Banteidor Lyngdoh and Hamletson Dohling. Both of them are first-time MLAs.
BJP parliamentary party leader AL Hek will also be part of the Cabinet of the new alliance, besides HSPDP MLA from Sohiong Samlin Malngiang, who is also a first-timer.
Hek was earlier part of the Congress-led MUA-II government.
MDA, a coalition of similar moniker had formed a government in 2003 when the Congress was the leading force. DD Lapang was the then chief minister with Donkupar Roy as his deputy.