Conrad Sangma wins Tura LS bypoll by nearly 2 lakh votes

Conrad K Sangma, son of nine-time parliamentarian and former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno A Sangma, today won the Tura Lok Sabha by-election by a huge margin of nearly two lakh votes to retain the seat held by his late father for over four decades.
Conrad's lone rival -- Chief Minister Mukul Sangma's wife Dikkanchi D Shira, trailed by over 1.92 lakh votes, the highest margin by which the Congress has ever lost in the parliamentary elections in the state.
Conrad, who took over the reins of National People's Party (NPP) following the demise of his father earlier this year, won by a margin of 1,92,212 votes, while Shira got 1,37,285 votes.

The Congress candidate lost in 23 out of 24 Assembly segments, including 13 of the 14 segments represented by Congress legislators.
Shira managed to pull a lead only in her husband's Ampati constituency in South West Garo Hills district, but lost in Mahendraganj where from she was elected as an MLA.
Accompanied by his mother, wife and children, the newly-elected Conrad dedicated the victory to his late father.

"I dedicate this victory to my late father (Purno A Sangma) whom the people of Garo Hills had reposed their faith unfailingly.
"This is the love of the people for my father. It is now my duty to fulfil the wishes and dreams of every Garo citizen and I will speak on their behalf in the Parliament," he said.

Accepting defeat, state Congress party president D D Lapang wished Conrad well in his new role.
Conrad's victory was also celebrated by members of its main ally in the NDA, the BJP, and other regional parties.
Several BJP leaders had toured the Garo Hills campaigning for Conrad ahead of the May 16 bypolls.