Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a two-day visit to the North East from Tuesday, during which he will attend the oath-taking ceremonies of new governments in three states of the region.
He will also attend a cabinet meeting of the Assam government during his overnight stay in the state, Assam Health Minister Keshab Mahanta said on Monday.
Coalitions backed by BJP have retained power in Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Tripura, the results of which were declared on March 2 and the new governments will take oath in two days beginning on Tuesday.
Addressing a press conference after a Cabinet meeting, Mahanta said the prime minister will arrive at the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport here at 10 am on Tuesday and will fly to Meghalaya directly from there.
The NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance with 32 MLAs led by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has staked claim to form the government for the second consecutive term in the state. BJP which is an ally of the MDA has been allocated a berth in the new ministry.
After attending the swearing-in ceremony in Shillong, he will leave for Kohima and will be present at the oath-taking programme of the new Nagaland government, Mahanta said.
In Nagaland, the pre-poll alliance of the NDPP-BJP has 37 of the 60 seats and the state appears to be heading for an opposition-less government as all other elected parties have supported it unconditionally.
Mahanta said the prime minister will return to Guwahati airport at 5 pm tomorrow and meet the Assam cabinet at the State Guest House here at 6.45 pm,” he said.
The prime minister will fly out to Tripura’s capital Agartala at 9.40 AM on Wednesday to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the Manik Saha government and return to New Delhi from there, he said.
Saha, who was made a chief minister in 2022 in a brand renewal exercise, was declared the BJP legislature Party leader.
The Assam minister said though specific details on the agenda for Tuesday’s cabinet meeting with Modi is not known, it is expected that the working of all departments will be discussed.
“The implementation of the central government’s schemes will also be reviewed,” he said.
The Assam cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, discussed preparations for the prime minister’s visit. The governor’s customary speech which will be made on the first day of the Budget session on Friday was also dwelt on, Mahanta added.
