SHILLONG: The United Democratic Party (UDP), which could secure only six seats in the just concluded Assembly elections, became the kingmaker as the party played a major role in forming a NPP-led government in Meghalaya.
Top leaders from both the Congress and the BJP made a beeline at the residence of UDP president Donkupar Roy since Sunday morning.
The fate of both the Congress and the NPP hinged on Roy, who even got an offer from the former to become the chief minister.
The Congress’s formula was that Roy would hold on to the post of the chief minister for a period of two and a half years while for the remaining period, the post of the chief minister would have been given to the Congress reminding that the same formula was suggested during the tenure of Capt W A Sangma and BB Lyngdoh in the past.
However, there was no favourable response from the regional parties.
Both Roy and outgoing Chief Minister Mukul Sangma confirmed the details. But according to Roy, the UDP was committed to having a non-Congress government in Meghalaya for stability and did not want to take the offer.
Earlier in the morning, Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju, KJ Alphons and local BJP leader AL Hek held a closed door meeting with them.
Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Rijiju said the regional parties would have a discussion on the matter even as he added that “BJP is not a major player here and hence the regional parties will decide on whom they should vote”.
Shortly after the visit of BJP leaders, Congress leader Zenith Sangma also made a quick knock at the doors of the UDP president to have discussions on the formation of the government.
Zenith Sangma told reporters that the regional parties are like-minded parties and they have worked with the Congress even earlier.
) Meanwhile, UDP working president Paul Lyngdoh broke the news to reporters that UDP would partner with NPP and others to form the government with Conrad as the chief minister.
He also said the proposal only needed the approval of the Regional Democratic Alliance (RDA), a forum of UDP, HSPDP and PDF after which they would proceed to the Governor House.
Soon after the statement, outgoing Chief Minister, Mukul Sangma, NPP president Conrad Sangma and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma arrived at the residence of the UDP president to finalise the political future of the state.
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said he did not mind if he was not the chief minister as he had served the people of the state in different capacity.
“There is a joy in serving the people in multiple capacities,” he said while adding that it was not the end and the political situation in the state was the offshoot of the fractured mandate.
After a meeting with Mukul Sangma, UDP leaders also held a short meeting with Conrad and Himanta and later Biswa came out of the meeting and informed the media persons that a delegation of NPP, BJP, UDP and HSPDP MLAs will meet the Governor at 5 PM to stake the claim to form the Government.
He also said that by evening, other partners would join the coalition.
After the statement, Conrad led the delegation and even PDF joined it to stake claim to form the government.
