India, Sept. 16 -- Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K Sangma replaced eight of his 11 cabinet colleagues in a massive reshuffle carried out on Tuesday as the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA-II) government completes two and a half years in office.

The move comes amid speculation over the past few months that Sangma could bring in some fresh faces to his cabinet, but it was the extent of the reshuffle that has taken many by surprise. Alexander Laloo Hek of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who was animal husbandry and veterinary minister, expressed surprise that he too was told to resign.

Governor CH Vijayashankar administered the new ministers the oath of office and secrecy at the Raj Bhawan in Shillong on Tuesday evening.

The ...