Guwahati, March 4 (IANS): The National People's Party (NPP) on Sunday met Meghalaya Governor Ganga Prasad and staked claim to form the next government in the state.

The NPP, which secured 19 seats on its own, has the backing of six United Democratic Party (UDP) legislators, four People's Democratic Front (PDF) MLAs, two each from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP) MLAs and an Independents legislator, taking the combined strength of the alliance to 34.

This leaves the ruling Congress, despite retaining 21 seats, lagging in the numbers game.

Assam Health Minister and convener of the BJP-led alliance North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) Himanta Biswa Sarma said that a delegation comprising the legislators of NPP, UDP, BJP, HSPDP and UDF met the Governor at the Raj Bhavan on Sunday and said they have the required numbers to form the nest state government.

"The mandate in Meghalaya is against the Congress. The role of the BJP is just a facilitator. We are facilitating the regional parties in Meghalaya to unite and form a government in the state to keep the Congress at bay," said Sarma, who has been camping in the state since Saturday.

"It will be a government of the regional political parties to be led by the NPP. The BJP has two legislators and our party has also decided to extend support to the NPP. We are there to facilitate and we are doing that to ensure that there is a non-Congress government in Meghalaya," said Sarma.

On the other hand, outgoing Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma also met the Governor and said that his party should be invited to form the next government as it is the single largest party.

The Chief minister, however, failed to produce letters of support from any other party.