Meghalaya governor invites Congress to form government

Meghalaya Governor M M Jacob on Tuesday invited Congress legislature party leader D D Lapang to form government.

The swearing-in ceremony will be held at 1600 IST, Tuesday, coalition Meghalaya Democratic Alliance sources said.

The 40-member MDA comprises the Congress (22), the United Democratic Party (9), the Meghalaya Democratic Party (4), the Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (2) and Independents (3).

The Hill State People's Democratic Party, which has two legislators, has expressed its willingness to join the MDA, but its MLAs did not figure in the list submitted by Lapang to the governor.

"They did not want us and the coalition partners may have raised objection to our joining the government," HSPDP legislature party leader and the outgoing chief minister, Dr F A Khonglam, said.