NPP wins by-election to Williamnagar seat

The National People’s Party (NPP), which is part of Meghalaya’s ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA), won the bypoll to state’s Williamnagar constituency on Tuesday, taking its tally to 20 in the 60-member state assembly.

The election to Williamnagar was countermanded after National Congress Party’s candidate from the seat, Jonathone N Sangma, was killed in an insurgent attack, a week before the February 27 elections.

NPP’s Marcuise Marak won the poll by bagging 9,656 of the 25,494 votes polled and defeated his nearest rival, independent candidate Sengbath R Marak, by a margin of 4,920 votes, chief electoral officer Frederick Roy Kharkongor said.

Marcuise had won from Williamnagar in the 2008 elections but was defeated in the 2013 polls by Congress legislator Deborah C Marak.

Deborah, a former cabinet minister in the Mukul Sangma government, came third in the by-election. Krenila R Marak, the wife of assassinated NCP candidate Jonathone came fourth with 4,040 votes.

Calling his win a victory of the people of Williamnagar, Marak said: “I would like to thank the people of Williamnagar for voting for the NPP. This is a victory of the people of Williamnagar. I will try my level best to uplift the area and bring development.”He added that Congress’ decision to field two candidates from the seat also worked to his advantage.

NPP president and Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K Sangma thanked the people of Williamnagar for “having faith in his party’s candidate”.

SHILLONG: