The Hindu : Front Page : Donkupar Roy sworn in Meghalaya CM

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Donkupar Roy sworn in Meghalaya CM

Special Correspondent

MPA to work out Common Minimum Programme within three days

Photo: PTI

HIS TURn now: Donkupar Roy of the United Democratic Party showing the letter given to him by Governor S.S. Sidhu inviting him to form government in Meghalaya. To his right is Nationalist Congress Party leader P.A. Sangma. —

Guwahati: Meghalaya Progressive Allinace (MPA) leader Donkupar Roy was sworn in Chief Minister of Meghalaya on Wednesday after D.D. Lapang, who was heading a minority Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA) government, resigned ahead of the floor test.

The change took place after Dr. Lapang’s shortest stint of nine days as Chief Minister was over as he failed to cobble up support of majority legislators.

Governor S.S. Sidhu administered the oath of office and secrecy to Dr. Roy and six other legislators at the Raj Bhavan.

The MPA has the support of 31 legislators. They include the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)-14, United Democratic Party (UDP)-11, Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP), Khun Hynniewtrep Awakening Movement (KHNAM)-1, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-1 and Independents-2.

The NCP and UDP agreed to share the five year term fifty-fifty and accordingly Mr. Sangma will take over as Chief Minister two and a half years later. Immediately after the swearing-in, Dr. Roy told reporters that the MPA would be committed to providing a stable government.

He also said that a Common Minimum Programme of the MPA would be chalked out within two to three days. Dr. Roy announced that there would be two Deputy Chief Ministers in his ministry. Dr. Lapang, who was present at the swearing-in ceremony, congratulated and greeted Dr. Roy.

Six other Ministers — one each from constituent parties and the two independents — who were sworn in included Conrad Sangma (NCP), A.L. Hek (BJP), Paul Lyndong (KHNAM), Advisor Pariong (HSPDP), Manas Choudhury (Independent) and Donkupar Massar (independent).

Earlier, Dr. Lapang resigned, half an hour ahead of the floor test he was to face in the Assembly.

Emerging from a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) Dr. Lapang told reporters that the “Congress could not garner the requisite support. So the CLP decided that I should resign.” He then drove to the Raj Bhavan and submitted his resignation to the Governor.

Dr. Lapang, who was sworn-in as Chief Minister on March 10, was given 10 days by the Governor to prove his majority in the House.

The Legislative Assembly, which was scheduled to start from Wednesday, was adjourned by the Pro Tem Speaker Hopingstone Lyngdoh. He read out Dr. Lapang’s resignation letter and adjourned the house immediately afterwards saying there was “no more business to transact.”

The MUA had the support of the 28 legislators (Congress-25 and independents-3) and fell short of three legislators to achieve the magic number of 31 in a House of 60 members. The MPA had moved the Supreme Court challenging the governor’s decision to invite Dr. Lapang to form the government but the apex court declined to interfere with the Governor’s decision of giving ten days time to Dr. Lapang for proving his majority on the floor of the House.

On Tuesday, political circles got the hint of Dr. Lapang not being able to muster the support of three more legislators for surviving the floor test resigning ahead of the floor test as he got the Speaker’s election deferred till Thursday.

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