Manipur Elections 2022: Mr Sangma's party was part of the coalition government in Manipur.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma today said his party, the National People's Party, will be happy to support ally BJP in Manipur to form a government.
"If we are invited by BJP to support it Manipur, then we will be happy to join the government," Mr Sangma said.
He pointed out that NPP is a part of the NDA alliance in Meghalaya and in also at the Centre. "We the also part of the NDA alliance in Arunachal Pradesh," he said.
The NPP, which contested the elections on its own this time, has emerged as the second-largest party after winning seven seats.
Mr Sangma's party was part of the coalition government in Manipur and both parties had a rough ride running the government together. NPP had contested in 38 of the total 60 seats, including against the BJP in several of them.
During the run-up to the elections, NPP had alleged that its candidates and workers are being subjected to targeted intimidation and abuse by several militant outfits in Manipur. Naming the militant outfits, the party had also alleged that they are actively campaigning for the BJP.
Friction between the workers of the party also emerged as they went head-to-head this time. The Manipur BJP expelled its chief spokesperson, Chongtham Bijoy Singh, for six years for violating the party's rules and regulations, days after he had called the NPP a "parasite that had proved a menace" to the ruling coalition in the past five years.
BJP comfortably crossed the majority mark in Manipur and will form the government. Sources say N Biren Singh will be given a second term as Chief Minister of the northeastern state.
By winning 32 seats, the BJP became the second party after the Congress to get the majority in an assembly election since 1950 when Manipur became a state of the Indian Union. The Congress had bagged 42 seats in 2012.
Caretaker Chief Minister N Biren Singh has clearly said that the BJP will align with like-minded parties, alluding to "coalition dharma", but ruled out a further alliance with the NPP.
"We may be are the part of NDA but we always fight polls alone and with our own ideology. Later, in a post-poll scenario, in case of a fractured mandate, we come together to form a government but, in this case, the BJP has got the mandate, so the ball is in their court," Mr Sangma had earlier said.
In 2017, the NPP had helped the BJP, which won 21 seats, to form a coalition government in Manipur. The NPP contested only nine seats in which it won four seats - the best strike rate among all parties - and emerged as kingmaker. However, their ties soured over the years.
Even as BJP deliberates on the cabinet, its national ally, the Janata Dal (United) and regional ally the Naga People's Front (NPF) have announced their support to the party.
Two Independents, including the richest candidate Nishikanta Sapam, have also announced their support to the BJP.
The JD (U), which fielded 38 candidates in the recent assembly elections, won six seats and the NPF, which put up 10 nominees, has won five seats.