Conrad uses pressure tactics to become CM

The youngest son of late Lok Sabha Speaker PA Sangma reportedly threatened to pull down the Manipur govt and also block the BJP becoming part of the Nagaland govt using his community members in the two state assemblies

National People’s Party (NPP) president and Tura MP Conrad Sangma, the youngest son of late Lok Sabha Speaker Purno A Sangma, almost blackmailed the Bhartiya Janata Party to be the new chief minister of the coalition government in Meghalaya.

He is likely to be sworn in as the CM on Tuesday.

The BJP had left it up to the regional parties to choose the CM candidate as it could no stake the claim as it won just two seats. Its leaders, however, showed interest that one from the ethnic Khasi tribe be selected.

Conrad, who belongs to the Garo community, however, reportedly threatened to pull down the Manipur government and also block the BJP becoming part of the Nagaland government using his community members in the two state assemblies.

He twisted the hands of BJP President Amit Shah with his NPP and friendly NPF (Naga People’s Front) unit of Manipur putting pressure to quit the BJP government in Manipur unless he is made the CM. The BJPled coalition government in Manipur survives with support of three NPF MLAs.

Shah came under pressure also because the NPF had won 27 of the 60 seats in Nagaland as against the BJP ending with just 11. The BJP was part of the NPF-led government in Nagaland till the Assembly elections but parted ways to join hands with the newly formed National Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) that could win only 16 seats.

The BJP leaders worked on three regional parties – United Democratic Party (UDP), People’s Democratic Front (PDF) and Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) – to let Conrad become the CM. He staked claim of support of 34 MLAs in the House of 60 — 19 of his own NPP, six from UDP, four from PDF and two each from HSPDP and JP and one independent MLA Samuel Sangma.

Former Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s political secretary Ahmed Patel had rushed to Shillong on Saturday, along with former minister Kamal Nath, to attract the very three regional parties that decided to go with NPP as also some independents.

He, however, retracted when leaders of the three parties told him that joining the Congress will not guarantee a stable government and the Modi government will starve the state of funds every northeast state needs for development.