Congress emerges victorious in tribal autonomous council polls

The ruling Congress in Meghalaya today emerged victorious in the two tribal autonomous council elections, winning the highest number of seats in both the councils.
The Congress, which contested from all 58 seats, has won ten out of 29 seats in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council followed closely by the Hills State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP) which won seven seats and the United Democratic Party (UDP) which won six seats.
The Khun Hynniewtrep Awakening Movement (KHAM) won four seats, while the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) managed to pull one back.
District Council Affairs Minister H D R Lyngdoh, Deputy Speaker Sanbor Shullai and the two outgoing chief executive members - Pynshngainlang N Syiem and Madonbai Rymbai - retained their seats along with three other sitting legislators who retained their seats.

Sitting UDP legislators Remington Pyngrope and Titosstarwell Chyne lost to Congress candidates Banteidor Lyngdoh and Donevan Wahlang.
In the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council, the Congress won 12 seats while the UDP won six. Re-counting was being done in one constituency where there was a tie in the total number of votes.

Nine seats were bagged by Independent candidates with the other regional parties recording a blank.
Four women out of 14 were elected with only one of them getting elected in the JHADC.
Overwhelmed by his party's performance, Congress unit chief in Meghalaya D D Lapang exuded confidence that the party would form the executive committee in both the councils.

"The result has proved that people have faith in the Congress and we will deliver the goods," Lapang told PTI.
Over six lakh tribal voters (6,95,747) cast their votes for the elections to the two autonomous councils held on Monday last in which 212 candidates of ten different political parties contested.