Meghalaya May Get Its First Woman Chief Minister As BJP Cobbles Together Five Party Alliance

The Congress, which had emerged as the single-largest party in Meghalaya, is unlikely to form the government in the state as the Bharatiya Janata Party seems to have cobbled together a five-party alliance headed by the National People's Party.

The five-party alliance has 34 MLAs - 19 from NPP, six from the United Democratic Party, four from the People's Democratic Front, two from the BJP, two from the Hill State People's Democratic Party and one Independent member. The halfway mark in the Meghalaya state assembly is 30.

While media reports have been indicating that NPP leader Conrad Sangma could be the next Chief Minister of the state, his sister Agatha Sangma has also emerged as a strong candidate for the post, the Times of India has reported.

"You will come to know at 5 pm," NPP leader Conrad Sangma said when asked if his sister would be elevated to the post of the state’s Chief Minister.

Agatha Sangma won from the South Tura constituency, by defeating the BJP’s nominee BA Sangma by a margin of 1603 votes. Although the NPP is an ally of the BJP at the Centre, it did go up against the party in many constituencies.

The Congress has also submitted a letter to the Governor, stating that it has named Mukul Sangma as the leader of the Meghalaya Congress Legislature Party. The Congress had met the Governor last night and staked claimed to form the government in the state after emerging as the single-largest party.