Meghalaya Assembly Elections 2018: Conrad Sangma to Take Oath as CM; All You Need to Know About Him

Shillong, March 6: National People's Party president Conrad Sangma will sbe worn in as the Meghalaya chief minister along with his council of ministers on Tuesday. Governor Ganga Prasad will administe

Shillong, March 6: National People’s Party president Conrad Sangma will sbe worn in as the Meghalaya chief minister along with his council of ministers on Tuesday. Governor Ganga Prasad will administer the oath of office and secrecy.

Sangma had staked claim to form the government with the support of 34 MLAs in the 60-member assembly. “We met the governor and submitted a letter of support from 34 MLAs — 19 of the NPP, six of the United Democratic Party (UDP), four of the People’s Democratic Front (PDF), two each of the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) and the BJP and an Independent,” Sangma had said. (Also read: More Trouble For Conrad Sangma, HSPDP Wants BJP Out of Coalition in Meghalaya)

All you need to know about Conrad Sangma:

• Conrad (40) is the youngest son of former Lok Sabha speaker PA Sangma, who died in 2016. PA Sangma also served as Meghalaya chief minister.
• Born on January 27, 1978 in Tura town of West Garo Hills district, Sangma He completed his BBA (Entrepreneurial Management) and MBA in Finance from University of Pennsylvania and Imperial College, University of London.
• He has keen interest in music and some musical instruments as well. He has organised a number of musical events in north-eastern region.
• He made his entry into politics in the 90s as the campaign manager for his father.
• He was first elected to the Meghalaya Assembly along with his brother James Sangma, both as NCP members, in 2008. He became the Cabinet Minister in the Meghalaya government and held multiple portfolios — finance, power and tourism.
• In 2016, he became Lok Sabha member from the Tura constituency after his father’s death.

Meghalaya threw up a fractured mandate on March 3 with the Congress emerging as the largest party, marginally ahead of its rival, the National Peoples Party (NPP), an ally of the BJP at the Centre and in Manipur. The Congress, which has been in power in the state for the last 10 years, won 21 seats out the 59 that went to polls on February 27. The figure is 10 short of a simple majority.