Congress on way to retain power in Meghalaya

Has won 12 seats, leads in 16 others in the 60-member Assembly

The Congress is on course to return to power in Meghalaya after winning 12 seats and leading in at least 16 others in the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly.

Congress' alliance partner in the outgoing Assembly United Democratic Party has bagged 4 seats and Hills State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) 3.

HSPDP president and veteran legislator Hopingstone Lyngdoh, who has never lost Assembly elections since Meghalaya got statehood in 1972, is up against his own protégé Congress candidate Adviser Pariong.

In the 2008 elections, Pariong was elected on an HSPDP ticket from Nongstoin constituency.

Lone woman legislator Ampareen Lyngdoh retained her urban 16 East Shillong seat edging out her nearest rival and former deputy chief minister B M Lanong of the UDP by over 4,000 votes.

Cabinet Ministers H D R Lyngdoh and Prestone Tynsong retained their Sohiong and Pynursla seats respectively.

Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, his wife D D Shira and his brother Zenith Sangma have won by a huge margin in their respective constituencies in the Garo Hills region.

The Congress has almost wiped off the P A Sangma-led National Peoples’ Party (NPP) in the Garo Hills region as the party is likely to win at least 14 seats out of 24.

Among P A Sangma’s two sons who were in the race – Conrad and James – only James made it through.

Creating history in the Assembly, four women contesting on Congress tickets also won from their respective constituencies – two in the Garo Hills and two in the Khasi Jaintia Hills region.