BJP to change perception of Cong in N East states: Rajnath Singh

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday took a jibe at the Congress Party and said it was a perception that only the grand old party could survive in the north-east, but now the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has changed its perception.

"I congratulate Conrad Sangma. There was a perception that only Congress party can survive in the North-East, but now BJP's victory will change the perception here," Singh told ANI, while attending Sangma's swearing-in ceremony.

"Our victory is no less than a grand success...and one can see that. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's strong leadership is responsible for it," Singh added.

Rajnath and BJP President Amit Shah were present for the oath taking ceremony of National People's Party (NPP) president Conrad Sangma as the chief minister of Meghalaya.

The NPP, which secured 19 seats on its own, has the backing of six United Democratic Party (UDP) legislators, four People's Democratic Front (PDF) MLAs, two each from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP) MLAs and an independents, taking the combined strength of the alliance to 34.