MDA will win this election, says Meghalaya CM

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Thursday voiced confidence that candidates of the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) will win both the Shillong and Tura Lok Sabha seats.

An estimated 35 per cent of the 19,14,795 voters their votes till 11:45 a.m., Chief Electoral Officer Frederick Roy Kharkongor said.

The MDA has fielded former Union minister and National People's Party (NPP) nominee Agatha Sangma from Tura and former United Democratic Party (UDP) legislator Jemino Mawthoh from Shillong seat.

"We are very confident that both Agatha and Mawthoh will win this election as people have reposed faith in the government," Conrad told IANS after casting his vote.

Both Mawthoh and Agatha, who is the sister of the Chief Minister and the youngest daughter of former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno Agitok Sangma, will contest on symbols of their own party's - the UDP and the NPP, respectively.

Agatha, who was the Union minister in the UPA-II government, is pitted against former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma of the Congress and Meghalaya's BJP Vice-President Rikman G. Momin.

Mawthoh is fighting to unseat two-time MP and former Union minister Vincent Pala from Shillong seat, which is considered a traditional Congress seat.

Sitting BJP legislator Sanbor Shullai and three Independents - T.H.S. Bonney, Romeo Phira Ranee and Samuel Hashah - are the other contenders from Shillong seat.

--IANS

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