Agatha Sangma: Priority is to accommodate BJP MPs

SHILLONG: There is no heartburn in Meghalaya over the non-inclusion of the newly elected Lok Sabha member from Tura, Agatha Kongkal Sangma of National People's Party (NPP), in Team Namo.
NPP is a constituent of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). On Thurdsay, Meghalaya CM Conrad K'ongkal Sangma, who also is national president of NPP, was present along with his sister, Agatha, at the forecourts of the Rashtrapati Bhavan to witness the oath-taking ceremony of PM Modi.Governor Tathagata Roy was also present in the national capital for the momentous occasion.
Agatha, who is the youngest MP from the region, had also served as the youngest minister in the then UPA-2 government led by Manmohan Singh, when she was a member of NCP. Speculation was rife in the political circles that she would find a berth in the Modi government. Earlier, Conrad had said it was the prerogative of the PM who to include in his council of ministers.
On the other hand, Agatha herself has been nonchalant about the developments as she had maintained that accommodating maximum number of BJP MPs was the priority. "Whether you are an MP or a minister, you have to serve the people," the late PA Sangma's daughter had quipped when it had become apparent that she was not included in the first list of the council of ministers under PM Modi.
But there are talks in political circles that other MPs from the region, including Agatha, might be picked up to 'balance' the equation of power at the Centre as the northeast has not been 'adequately represented' in the Union council of ministers.