From CK Nayak
New Delhi: Dr Mukul Sangma will take oath as the 26th Chief Minister of the State for a record second term on Tuesday at 11:30 AM at Raj Bhavan, while his ministry will take oath of office later, party sources said here on Monday.
Dr Sangma met party president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi here but the high command has decided to delay announcement of the list of ministry, will be approved at a later date.
The Chief Minister, who arrived here on Saturday, left for Shillong on Monday morning and is expected back in the national capital later this week, the sources said.
But swearing in of the new ministers might be delayed since the Governor will be out of station for some time, the sources said.
Interestingly, the invite from Raj Bhavan says that the Council of Ministers will also be sworn in on Tuesday. Unlike the customary practice of holding the swearing-in ceremony at the Raj Bhavan Durbar Hall, the function will be held at the Raj Bhavan premises.
Dr Sangma was re-elected as the leader of Congress Legislature Party (CLP) on Friday and on the same day he staked claim before the Governor to form the new government in the State.
He was unanimously elected as CLP leader after his name was proposed by Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president DD Lapang and seconded by former Chief Minister Salseng C Marak, incidentally both his one-time bête noire.
AICC general secretary in charge of Meghalaya Mukul Wasnik is leaving for Shillong on Tuesday morning to attend the swearing in ceremony.
But Sonia will not be able to make it because of her pre-occupation in Delhi.
She was expected to attend the ceremony since Congress, for the first time in the State, emerged victorious with 29 seats, trouncing Purno’s NPP in Garo Hills. Congress also could retain its Government in Meghalaya but could not wrest from Left Front in Tripura and NPF in Nagaland.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister designate Dr Mukul Sangma, while commenting on the delay in the swearing-in of other Cabinet ministers, said that due diligence was being adopted to choose a comprehensive Cabinet before it is approved by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Our Reporter adds.
Other Congress leaders, who were in the previous Cabinet, are keeping mum on the delay in the swearing-in ceremony.
All the sitting ministers including HDR Lyngdoh, Rowell Lyngdoh, Prestone Tynsong, Ampareen Lyngdoh, Prof RC Laloo and AL Hek are likely to retain their Cabinet berths.
However, some MLAs are anxious about being kept in the dark on the probable names in the list of Cabinet ministers.
Meanwhile, Dr Sangma met Governor RS Mooshahary here on Monday, but what transpired at the discussion, could not be ascertained.
Sources have indicated that Congress legislator Abu Taher Mondal is likely to become the Assembly Speaker.
When contacted, Mondal refused to comment anything on the matter.
According to the latest information, the elected legislators would take oath during a special Assembly session to be convened in the next few days.
Sources revealed that the special session is likely to be convened on Wednesday or Thursday and that senior Congress legislators — Rowell Lyngdoh or Salseng C Marak — are likely to be nominated as pro tem Speaker to administer the oath of office.
