Meghalaya Cong to hold demonstrations tomorrow against Karnataka Guv inviting BJP to form govt

Opposition Congress, which had won the largest number of seats in the February Assembly poll in Meghalaya, will hold demonstrations across the state tomorrow to protest the Karnataka Governor's decision of inviting the BJP to form government.

The Congress had secured 20 out of the 58 seats of Meghalaya Assembly in the polls.

But it was the conglomerate of the National Peoples Party which had secured 19 seats formed the government with the support of other regional parties and the BJP.

Regional parties United Democratic Party (six), Peoples Democratic Front (two), the Hills State Peoples Democratic Party (two), NCP (one), independents (two) besides the BJP, which won just two seats came together to form the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance under Conrad Sangma.

NPP's seats increased to 20, the same as that of the Congress, after the party won the April 27 election in Williamnagar, where polls were countermanded following the killing of its candidate.

B S Yeddyurappa was sworn-in as Karnataka chief minister today after the BJP emerged as the single largest party with 104 seats in the May 12 elections which threw up a hung Assembly.

Meghalaya PCC chief Celestine Lyngdoh said the party will organise dharnas here and all district headquarters tomorrow morning to protest against the "blatantly partisan and authoritarian act" of the Karnataka Governor.

The party would, however, not stake claim to form the government, he said.

"There is no such move on our parts. We are concentrating on the election to the Ampati Assembly seat at the moment," he said.

The election to Ampati seat, which was vacated by former chief minister and senior party leader Mukul Sangma, is scheduled for May 27.

If the Congress wins the seat it would become the largest party in the Meghalaya Assembly.