National People’s Party chief and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has reached out to the Bharatiya Janata Party seeking the latter’s support in forming a government in the state. The election results declared today have thrown a fractured mandate with the NPP emerging as the single largest party, winning 26 seats, while the BJP won 2 seats. The majority mark is 30 in the 59 seats that went to polls on February 27.
As per Election Commission data, the National People’s Party has won 26 seats, the United Democratic Party is at second spot with 11 seats under its belt, followed by the Trinamool Congress and the Congress party at 5 seats each. The Bharatiya Janata Party, Hill State People’s Democratic Party, People’s Democratic Front and Independents have won 2 seats each while the Voice of the People Party has bagged 4 seats.
The day saw a see-saw battle between the parties who had all contested the elections individually. The NPP, which had formed a government in alliance with the BJP
The results are in line with what most exit polls had predicted. Soon after the exit polls, Sangma had said that he was open to alliances to form a stable government in the state. On Wednesday, BJP leader and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma met Sangma and discussed an alliance.
However, the NPP will need the support of at least two legislators to form a government in the state even with support from the BJP. The NPP’s 26 and BJP’s 2 falls short of the magic figure of 30 required to form a government.
As backroom parleys continue, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to thank the people of the state for supporting the BJP. He also promised to keep working towards the development of Meghalaya. PM Modi, Amit Shah
On the other hand, the Congress