BJP sends Himanta Sarma to Shillong

BJP leader and North East Democratic Alliance convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma was sent to Shillong on Saturday by the party leadership to try and form a non-Congress government in Meghalaya amid likelihood of a split verdict.

The Congress has also sent its senior leaders Ahmed Patel and Kamal Nath in view of the party likely to emerge as the single largest party in the Meghalaya assembly polls. Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ram Madhav made the announcement of Sarma's departure in Agartala. The Congress is leading in 21 seats while the National People's Party is ahead in 14 and the BJP in six, the Election Commission said.

Polling for 59 out of the state's 60 assembly seats was held on February 27. The election to one seat was countermanded following the killing of a candidate. As per the counting on 58 seats out of 60, Congress was leading in 21 seats.

Both Patel and Nath were expected to ensure that the Congress does not slip out on any chance of forming government in the state unlike Manipur and Goa where the party could not form government despite emerging as the single largest party.

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