Conrad Sangma, Neiphiu Rio To Take Oath As Meghalaya, Nagaland CMs Today, PM Modi Likely To Attend Ceremony

Conrad Sangma and Neiphiu Rio will take oath as chief ministers of Meghalaya and Nagaland respectively on Tuesday (March 7, 2023) with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah expected to attend the swearing-in ceremonies of the two northeastern leaders.

While Sangma’s NPP-led alliance in Meghalaya will lead the government with the support of 45 MLAs, including two from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party’s Rio will head an all-party government with no opposition in Nagaland.

Conrad Sangma to take oath as Meghalaya CM for second straight term
In Meghalaya, NPP chief Sangma, whose party secured 26 seats in the February 27 elections, will take oath as the chief minister for a second consecutive term along with other cabinet ministers.

On Monday, 58 newly elected MLAs were sworn in as members of the Meghalaya assembly with pro-tem speaker Timothy D Shira administering the oath of office and secrecy to them. The speaker of the newly formed assembly will be elected on March 9 during a special House session.

Neiphiu Rio to be sworn as Nagaland CM for fifth time
In Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio, 72, will be sworn as chief minister of the northeastern state for the fifth term.

As per reports, BJP National President JP Nadda will also be present at the swearing-in to be held at around 1.30 pm.

In the recently concluded Nagaland polls, the NDPP-BJP coalition had won 37 seats in the 60-member Assembly. The alliance was the only pre-poll one in the state and contested on a 40:20 seat-sharing formula.

The regional party increased its tally from 18 in 2018 to 25 this time, while the saffron party retained its tally of 12 seats, giving the alliance the absolute majority to retain power for the second straight term.

Subsequently, all other parties in Nagaland extended their letters of support to the Rio-led alliance.

Meanwhile, the BJP in Tripura stated that its leader Manik Saha will continue to hold the post of chief minister and will take oath on Thursday, a day after Holi.

Saha was named as the CM at a meeting of the BJP legislature party in Agartala on Monday.

In the recently held Tripura elections, the saffron camp had bagged 32 seats in the 60-member Assembly, while its ally — Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) — won one seat.