Meghalaya Assembly election result updates | NPP to head second successive coalition in Meghalaya

The National People’s Party (NPP) is set to head a coalition government for the second successive term in Meghalaya.

The party led by Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma won 25 of the 59 Assembly constituencies where elections were held, six more than it bagged in 2018. The State Assembly has 60 seats.

Meghalaya Chief Minister and Nation People’s Party (NPP) supremo Conrad Sangma has sought Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s blessings to form the next government in the hill state, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday.

Mr. Sarma took to Twitter to also say that BJP president J.P. Nadda has advised the Meghalaya unit of the saffron camp to support the NPP as it forms the next government in the neighbouring state.

“Sri @SangmaConrad, Chief Minister of Meghalaya, called @AmitShah ji, Hon’ble Home Minister, and sought his support and blessings in forming the new Government,” Mr. Sarma wrote.

“Adaraniya Sri @JPNadda ji , the national president of the @BJP4India has advised the state unit of BJP, Meghalaya to support the National People’s Party in forming the next government in Meghalaya,” the Assam CM added. - PTI

Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on Thursday asserted that an individual candidate was more important than a party in the hill state.

The NPP leader, who won from Pynursla constituency, said the party hoped to get an absolute majority, but a different mandate was given by the people.

“In Meghalaya’s politics, individual candidates matter more than the party. It is the nominees who win the elections, not the party,” Tynsong told PTI after his victory was announced.

“We expected to cross the magic number on our own. We did not expect such a divided mandate,” he added.

Though the NPP had run the outgoing government in alliance with five other parties, it fought the 2023 assembly polls alone.

Asked about the next course of action, the deputy chief minister said, “We had hoped for forming the government alone, but the electorate has given a different mandate. We don’t have any option but to go for a coalition government.” He, however, declined to comment anything on whether support would be sought from previous allies.

The National People’s Party (NPP) led the outgoing Meghalaya government in alliance with UDP, PDF, HSPDP, BJP and NCP. - PTI

National People’s Party (NPP) president and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Thursday said that the party is still short of a few seats for the majority and will wait for the final results before deciding on the way forward.

Party spokesperson Ampareen Lyngdoh said although no decision was taken till now on alliance partners, the ruling party will have to seek the support of others to return to power for the second time in a row.

The decision on this is likely to be taken by Thursday, she said.

The NPP has won 16 seats and is leading in nine others as counting of votes polled in the February 27 election is underway. The UDP is winning in nine seats and is leading in two, while the BJP is ahead in three constituencies till 4 pm.

Though the state has a 60-member assembly, polling was held in 59 seats as a candidate in one constituency died.

“I thank the people of our state for having voted for our party. We are grateful to them. We are still short of the numbers and are waiting for the final results, after which we will decide on the way forward,” the CM, who is leading by 2,830 votes in the South Tura seat, said.

There is a “high possibility” that earlier alliance partners will come together, Lyngdoh said when asked if the NPP will ally with the BJP. - PTI

LoP Mukul Sangma of TMC wins Songsak seat by margin of 507 votes, loses Tikrikilla constituency to NPP’s J.D. Sangma by 5,313 votes. Deputy CM Prestone Tynsong wins Pynursla seat by margin of 8,140 votes. - PTI

Thanking the people of Meghalaya for voting for the National People’s Party (NPP), Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Thursday said the party was still short of a few seats for majority and will wait for the final results before deciding on the way forward.

The NPP has won five seats and was leading in 21 other constituencies as counting of votes polled in the February 27 polls was underway. “I thank the people of our state for having voted for our party. We are grateful to them. We are still short of the numbers and are waiting for the final results, after which we will decide on the way forward,” the CM, who was leading by 2,830 votes in South Tura seat, said.

UDP candidates won in two seats, while its nominees were leading in eight other constituencies.

Mr. Sangma had held a meeting with his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma in Guwahati after exit polls predicted a hung assembly in Meghalaya.

The BJP was leading in three seats, while the Trinamool Congress and the Congress won one constituency each, and were ahead in four other constituencies each. -PTI

Hill State People’s Democratic Party’s Shakliar Warjri won the Mawthadraishan seat, thereby winning the first seat for the party.

The candidate won against UDP’s Brolding Nongsiej by a margin of 2353 votes. Mr. Nongsiej is the incumbent Minister for Home (Civil Defence and Home Guards), Water Resources, Printing and Stationery.

With the win of Dr. Mizanur Rahman Kazi, the TMC has opened its account by winning the Rajabala seat.

Dr. Kazi won against the NPP’s candidate Md Abdus Saleh by a margin of 10 votes.

Congress opens account in Meghalaya; Saleng A. Sangma wins the Gambegre seat.

Mr. Sangma won against TMC’s Sadhiarani M. Sangma by a margin of 2871 votes.

The United Democratic Party (UDP) has bagged its first seat, with the win of Nujorku Sungoh, from the Mowjaiaw consitituency.

Mr. Sungoh won against NPP’s Habahun Dkhar by a margin of 3901 votes.

NPP’s Wailadmiki Shylla won the Jowai constituency against TMC’s Awhai Andrew Shullai, by a margin of 2667 votes.

NPP bags the third seat in Meghalaya as Subir Marak wins the Rangsakona seat defeating Zenith M. Sangma of TMC by 788 votes

The latter is the brother of former CM Mukul M. Sangma

Coming One Ymbon of the NPP won the Raliang constituency by a margin of 5337 votes against the BJP’s Lakhon Biam.

Ahead of Meghalaya Assembly election results, Chief Minister Conard Sangma visited the grave of his father and former CM, P.A. Sangma in Tura on Thursday.

CM Sangma was accompanied by his mother Soradini K. Sangma, brother James Sangma and sister Agatha K. Sangma. -ANI

Commerce & Industries, Transport, Urban Affairs, Municipal Administration Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar wins the Nartiang constituency.

Mr. Dhar won by a margin of 2123 votes, against the Congress candidate Emlang Laloo.

The ruling NPP in Meghalaya was leading in 22 seats, while the UDP was ahead in seven, the Election Commission said on Thursday as the counting of votes for the assembly elections was underway.

The BJP and the Congress were leading in six seats each, while the Trinamool Congress was ahead in five and the Voice of the People Party (VPP) in four seats.

The Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) was ahead in two seats, while two Independent candidates were also leading. People’s Democratic Front was leading in one seat, as per latest trends available for 55 out of 59 constituencies.

Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma was leading in the South Tura seat with a margin of just 44 votes over his nearest rival Bernard N. Marak of the BJP.

State Congress president Vincent H. Pala was trailing behind NPP’s Santa Mary Shylla by 620 votes in the Sutnga Saipung seat.

Leader of Opposition Mukul Sangma of the TMC was leading from the Songsak seat by 457 votes over NPP’s ND Shira.

Meghalaya Assembly Speaker Metbah Lyngdoh was trailing behind Batskhem Ryntathiang of the Congress by 54 votes in Mairang constituency. -PTI

The ruling NPP in Meghalaya was leading in 17 seats, while the UDP was ahead in nine, the Election Commission said on Thursday as the counting of votes for the assembly elections was underway.

The TMC was leading in five seats, the BJP and the VPP were leading in four seats each, while the HSPDP was ahead in two and the Congress in one.

Two independent candidates were also leading.

Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma was leading in the South Tura seat with a margin of just 44 votes over his nearest rival Bernard N Marak of the BJP.

State Congress president Vincent H. Pala was trailing by 1,257 votes in the Sutnga Saipung seat against NPP’s Santa Mary Shylla.

Leader of opposition Mukul Sangma of the TMC was leading from the Songsak seat by 457 votes over NPP’s ND Shira. - PTI

The ruling National People’s Party (NPP) in Meghalaya was leading in 4 out of the 59 Assembly constituencies while the United Democratic Party is leading in two seats, according to the latest trend shared by the Election Commission on Thursday.

As per data shared by the Election Commission at 9:30 am, the NPP’s Marthon J Sangma was leading from the Mendipathar while the Congress’s Timjim K. Momin was trailing.

NPP’s Jimmy D. Sangma was leading from Tikrikilla, while NPP’s Timothy D. Shira was leading from Resubelpara. NPP’s Rakkam A. Sangma was also leading in Rongara Siju.

The United Democratic Party’s Lahkmen Rymbui was leading from Amlarem and United Democratic Party’s Pisu Marwein was leading from Ranikor, according to latest trends. -ANI

The ruling NPP in Meghalaya was leading in three seats each, while the opposition TMC was ahead in two, the Election Commission (EC) said on Thursday morning as counting began for the 59 assembly constituencies in the Northeastern state.

The GNC and the UDP were also ahead in one seat each, the EC said. -PTI

Once the party for every other to beat in the northeast, Congress is eyeing a comeback in Meghalaya.

The grand old party was the single-largest in the 2018 Meghalaya polls with 21 seats. However, all its MLAs defected to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and other political parties well ahead of Mandate 2023.

The setback, however, did not prevent Congress from fielding candidates in all the 60 constituencies in Meghalaya.

Congress ruled Meghalaya in coalition with smaller parties for almost 28 years

There will be a total of 383 rounds of counting, with a maximum of nine rounds for the biggest assembly constituency Mawlai in East Khasi Hills District, and four rounds for smaller ACs like Dalu in West Garo Hills District, officials said.

Shillong has the State’s maximum number of 14 Counting Halls, one each for each assembly constituency. West Garo Hills District Counting Centre caters to 11 assembly constituencies and is the second-largest counting centre in the State.

Observers and over 500 micro observers are assisting the Counting Observers at each table. Each table has a counting Observer assisted by four counting assistants.

In seven polling stations, there were cases of non-deletion of mock poll data. These include a polling station in East Jaintia Hills, Khliehriat AC, one in West Khasi Hills, Rambhai AC, two in East Garo hills, Songsak AC, two in South West Garo Hills, Salmanpara ACs, and one in Mylliem AC. In the above polling stations, District Electoral Officers (DEO) and ROs (returning officers) have been directed to strictly follow Election Commission protocols on counting.

Also, post-counting of EVMs, five polling stations will be selected at random, through a draw of lots and manual counting of five randomly selected EVMs will be undertaken as per ECI protocols. Additionally, concerned DEOs have issued necessary orders pertaining to traffic arrangements and victory processions post-counting in respect of their concerned districts. -ANI

Counting of votes began in Meghalaya at 8 a.m. on Thursday amid tight security, a senior election official said.

Votes polled in 59 of the 60 assembly constituencies of the State on February 27 are being counted at 13 centres across the State. Polling in the Sohiong seat was adjourned due to the death of a candidate.

Twenty-two companies of central paramilitary forces have been deployed to guard the counting centres, Chief Electoral Officer F.R. Kharkongor told PTI.

Exit polls have predicted a hung assembly in Meghalaya, as ruling National People’s Party (NPP) is believed to have been holding parleys with the BJP for a possible post-poll alliance.

The CEO said that 14 counting halls have been arranged in Shillong and 11 in Tura. Over 500 observers have been deployed across the State. The Election Commission has banned victory processions till 4 p.m. on March 4. -PTI