Shillong/Kohima, Mar 7 (PTI) National People's Party (NPP) president Conrad K Sangma and NDPP leader Neiphiu Rio were sworn in as chief ministers of Meghalaya and Nagaland respectively on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah attended both the swearing-in ceremony as did BJP president J P Nadda.

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Sangma, who became the chief minister of the northeastern state for the second time in a row, said his focus will be on sectors that can provide large-scale employment. While Rio who became chief minister for a record fifth term said a meeting later in the day would decide on portfolio allocations of his opposition-less government, where all parties have pledged support to him.

MEGHALAYA: RAINBOW COALITION

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Prestone Tynsong and Sniawbhalang Dhar, both from the NPP, took oath as deputy chief ministers in Meghalaya, underlining the strength of the regional party in the rainbow coalition which has come to power again. Tynsong was the deputy CM in the previous government as well.

The BJP's Alexander Laloo Hek, UDP's Paul Lyngdoh and Kyrmen Shylla, and Shakliar Warjri of the HSPDP also took oath as ministers.

In all, eight MLAs from the NPP, two from the UDP and one each from the BJP and the HSPDP were administered the oath of office and secrecy as ministers by Governor Phagu Chauhan at Raj Bhavan. Modi later tweeted: "Congratulations to those who took oath. Best wishes to them in their pursuit of taking Meghalaya to new heights of growth.”

He also congratulated Rio and said “I am confident that this team, which is a blend of youth and experience, will continue the good governance trajectory of Nagaland and fulfil people's aspirations.” Interestingly, the saffron party had described Sangma's government as the “most corrupt” in the run-up to the election but was among the first parties to strike a post-poll deal to set up a government in the northeastern state.

The NPP became the single-largest party winning 26 seats in the recently held election. The UDP bagged 11 seats while the BJP, HSPDP, and the People's Democratic Front (PDF) got two seats each. Besides them, two Independent members also extended support to Sangma.

The ruling coalition on Monday decided that it would be called the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance 2.0 since its partners are almost the same as the previous one.

“We are exploring many options apart from improving infrastructure, road, power and water connectivity… We are prioritising our focus on areas and sectors where we can provide large-scale employment to people,” Sangma told PTI after taking the oath. Health, education, agriculture and tourism are also important sectors, he said.

“Foundation for the works in all these sectors have been laid in the past five years and now will work aggressively in those sectors,” Sangma said.

The chief minister also said, “In coalition governments, partners may have different views on issues. We should find ways to solve issues and work with better coordination as a team.”

NAGALAND: OPPOSITION-LESS GOVERNMENT

The 72-year-old Neiphiu Rio, who became chief minister for a fifth term, was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor La Ganesan at the Capital Cultural Hall here.

NDPP's T R Zeliang and BJP's Yanthungo Patton were also sworn-in as the deputy chief ministers of the state, while other members of the Rio cabinet also took oath.

State BJP chief Temjen Imna Along, widely popular on social media across the country for his sense of humour, and Salhoutuonuo Kruse, one of the two women elected to Nagaland assembly for the first time, were among those who were sworn-in as members of the council of ministers.

In all, Rio's cabinet has seven ministers from the NDPP and five from the BJP.

Other members in the cabinet include NDPP's G Kaito Aye, K G Kenye, Metsubo Jamir and C L John, and BJP's Jacob Zhimomi, P Paiwang Konyak, Temjen Imna Along and P Bashangmonba Chang.

Only Kruse and Chang are fresh faces in the ministry.

Talking to PTI, Kruse expressed happiness on becoming the first woman cabinet minister in the state and said she would “work sincerely for people in whatever portfolio allocated to her.” Interacting with reporters, Rio thanked “people of the state for giving me a fifth term as the chief minister”.

The NDPP-BJP alliance secured a clear majority, winning 37 seats in the 60-member House in the recent assembly polls in the northeastern state.

However, all other political parties – NCP, NPP, Naga People's Front, RPI (A), LJP (Ram Vilas), JD(U), Independent MLAs have also extended support to the NDPP-BJP alliance for an opposition-less government.

He said “portfolios of the cabinet ministers, along with accommodation of other MLAs as advisors, would be taken after the first cabinet meeting scheduled on Tuesday evening”.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)