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Shillong, May 29: The newly elected legislator from Selsella constituency Ferlin CA Sangma was today sworn in as member of the tenth Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.

The oath was administered to the former bureaucrat-turned-politician by the Assembly Speaker Donkupar Roy at his office chamber in the city here on Wednesday.

The swearing in ceremony was also attended by deputy speaker Timothy D Shira, Government chief whip Marcuise N Marak, former minister Martin M Danggo and others.

However, not a single minister of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government attended the ceremony.

Ferlin won the bye-election on a National People’s Party (NPP) ticket by a comfortable margin of 4,369 votes.

She polled 15,781 votes and defeated her nearest opponent Congress candidate June Eliana R. Marak, who got 11,412 votes.

With her entry, the number of women representatives in the Assembly has increased to four.

Speaking to reporters after the swearing in ceremony, Ferlin said though Selsella is a backward constituency but she is ready to take up the big challenge and bring changes in the constituency within four years.

She said her immediate priorities will be to focus on the road and education sectors as for the past many years there has been no visible development in these areas.

According to her, without education no matter how much development is given to the people nothing can take place if we cannot change the mindset of the people.

“I do hope with the support of a very active government and with all developmental projects and schemes and new initiatives coming up I do hope I can really bring changes within four years,” Ferlin said.

Asked, the newly elected MLA admitted that although Meghalaya is a matrilineal society, women folks are getting less attention and said but the new trend is that be it any competitive examination girls always outshine their male counterpart. “With this trend I hope one woman legislator can do many things and I hope I can really bring changes,” she added.