Hung House keeps Cong, NPP in race
Meghalaya voters have thrown up a hung House even as the Congress, which has ruled the frontier state for 10 years, emerged as the single largest party winning 21 seats. The Congress was followed by its arch rival, National People’s Party ( NPP), with 19 seats out of the 59 seats in which voting took place on February 27.
As the Congress rushed senior leaders Ahmed Patel and Kamal Nath to Shillong to work out possible tie- ups with Independent candidates to form a government, NPP president Conrad Sangma, son of veteran leader late P. A. Sang ma, exuded confidence that his party will form the next government with the help of other likeminded parties.
If NPP insiders are to be believed, Meghalaya may get its first woman chief minister with the party contemplating to float the name of former Union minister Agatha Sang ma, daughter of P. A. Sang ma.
The NPP fought the elections on its own but has an understanding with the BJP and some regional parties. The BJP won two seats as compared no seat in 2013.
“People are fed up with the corrupt Congress government and are looking for a change,” said Conrad Sangma, who rushed to Shillong where all the newly- elected MLAs were reaching to start the process of government formation.
The Congress failed to cross the magic figure of 29, leaving chief minister Mukul Sangma disappointed. “The results are
not on expected lines, but I am still looking forward... I would like to keep my cards close to my chest,” he said, when asked about how the Congress will retain power.
The trump card is now with regional political parties — United Democ- ratic Party ( UDP) which won six seats, People’s Democratic Front ( PDF) with four seats, Hill State People’s Democratic Party ( HSPDP) two seats and, Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Mov- ement and NCP getting one each. Three Independent candidates are also the most sought after.
The BJP has asked Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to rush to Meghalaya for holding talks with smaller parties and Independents.
Last month, Paul Lyng- doh, chief of the UDP, indicated that the NPP, the BJP and the UDPHSPDP alliance could form the next government. Together they have 21 seats.
“Our common cause is to oust the Congress which has a string of misdeeds and we have given Mukul Sangma enough time,” he had said. around 84 per
Meghalaya saw cent voting.
Polling in Williamnagar constituency was countermanded following the death of NCP candidate in an IED blast.