SHILLONG: Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday congratulated National People's Party (NPP) leader Conrad Sangma on taking oath as chief minister of the new non-Congress government in Meghalaya. BJP is part of the coalition government.Singh said, "A general perception had been there that only the Congress can survive in the northeast. However, with the BJP's continuing victories in state after state in the region, this perception will now definitely change."In the recently concluded assembly elections, Congress could not win a single seat in Tripura or in Nagaland. The party, despite becoming the single largest party in Meghalaya, could not form a government as the regional parties decided to form a non-Congress government.Singh, BJP chief Amit Shah, Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh were among the host of high profile dignitaries who attended the swearing-in ceremony of Conrad as the new chief minister on the lawns of the Raj Bhavan here on Tuesday.Sonowal spoke briefly but cheerfully on the traditional bonds between Assam and Meghalaya, adding the installation of the new government here will further strengthen ties between the two neighbouring states. "We will maintain cordial relationships between the two states and the two governments will work in co-ordination," Sonowal said after congratulating Conrad.The saffron party, which had fielded candidates in 47 out of 60 assembly seats, is upbeat after having increased its vote share from 1.27% in the 2013 assembly polls to 9.6% this time.

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