North-East byelections: Key contests in Meghalaya, Assam as Sikkim’s SKM secures uncontested seats
The North East is gearing up for byelections on Wednesday, with eight seats in focus across Assam, Meghalaya, and Sikkim.
Newly sworn-in Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Tuesday expressed confidence that his Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government would be able to face all the challenges before it.
I am confident that whatever challenges we have before us, this coalition government will be able to face them…Our government is and will be committed to the people of Meghalaya and will work sincerely to resolve all the problems we are facing,” he told reporters soon after his swearing-in.
Within hours of assuming office, Sangma was briefed by Chief Secretary Y Tsering and other senior government officials on the fiscal health of Meghalaya and the issues before his government.
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Seeking a ”constructive contribution” from the Opposition as well as the ruling coalition, Sangma said, ”I can assure you that our government is a government that will work for the overall development of the state. We are not here to focus on region or area-wise development, but we would like to focus on the entire state.”
Prior to starting his work in the chief minister’s cabin, Sangma arranged for a small prayer meeting with all his cabinet colleagues, where he was accompanied by his mother Soradini K Sangma and a church elder, an official told PTI.
Asked whether the new regime in Meghalaya could be called a BJP government, the chief minister made it clear that it was a coalition government that included regional parties — the NPP, the UDP, the PDF, the HSPDP — besides the BJP and an Independent legislator.
”All members are equal in governance,” he added.
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