From Our Correspondent
NONGPOH: The Indian National Congress (INC) won three out of the five constituencies in Ri-Bhoi while former HNLC chairman Julius Dorphang, who contested as an Independent, and Lambok Mylliemngap of North East Social Democratic Party (NeSDP) won from Mawhati and Jirang respectively in the 2013 Assembly elections in the State.
In the prestigious Nongpoh constituency, MPCC President and sitting MLA DD Lapang defeated nearest rival, Rona Khymdeit of the UDP, by a huge margin of 3598 votes.
Nongpoh MDC and Congress candidate Dr Celestine Lyngdoh created history by becoming the first MLA of newly created Umsning constituency with a margin of 1942 votes over his closest rival and former KSU president and Independent candidate Donkupar Sumer.
Meanwhile, making both the INC and UDP swallow defeat, former HNLC chairman and Independent candidate Julius Dorphang shocked UDP candidate and former MLA Donbok Khymdeit by defeating him with a respectable margin of 1159 votes even as PW Muktieh of the Congress continued to lose for two straight terms.
In Umroi constituency, INC candidate and coal baron Ngaitlang Dhar won by a huge margin of 4138 votes which was also the biggest margin in the district. Dhar defeated Independent candidate and former MLA Stanley Wiss Rymbai.
NeSDP candidate Lambok Mylliemngap won from Jirang constituency with a decent margin of 2496 votes over his close rival
and INC candidate Barnabas Nongbah. The victory of Mylliemngap could be attributed to the support of former MLA J D Rymbai and ‘local king maker’ Indaris Maring.