All in family
Family members contesting the elections and winning or losing were part of the Assembly elections 2018.
Mukul Sangma and his wife, Dikkanchi Shira won from their respective seats while it was a moment of disappointment for Zenith Sangma’s wife Sadhiarani Sangma who lost to NCP candidate Saleng Sangma.
On the other hand, Ngaitlang Dhar lost the Umroi seat to George Lyngdoh of Congress, while his brother and son, Sniawbhalang Dhar and Dasakhiat Lamare won from Nartiang and Mawhati respectively.
At the same time, Wailadmiki Shylla, the brother in law of Sniawbhalang Dhar won from Jowai.
Congress candidates and father-son duo, Charles Pyngrope and David Nongrum won from their respective seats of Nongthymmai and Mawryngkneng.
Whereas the father-daughter duo of PM Syiem and Teilinia Thangkhiew failed to get the mandate of the people as both of them bagged the third spot from their respective constituencies of Mawphlang and Mylliem.
NPP members and siblings James Sangma and Agatha Sangma won from their seats from Dadenggre and South Tura.
The NPP also fielded Sanjay A Sangma, brother-in-law of NPP chief and Tura MP Conrad K Sangma, for the Mahendraganj seat although the seat was retained by Congress Dikkanchi Shira.
Giant killers
The Assembly 2018 saw the emergence of giant killers who gave some of the sitting MLAs a run for their money.
Assembly Speaker and Congress candidate A T Mondal lost to NPP S. G. Esmatur Mominin in Phulbari.
Home Minister, HDR Lyngdoh and Urban Affairs Department, RV Lyngdoh was showed the door after HSPDP Samlin Malngiang and PDF Hamlet Dohling won the seats from Sohiong and Mylliem respectively.
KHADC CEM PN Syiem and PDF chairman came second with the top spot going to Congress HM Shangpliang. First time MLA and son of EK Mawlong, George Bankyntiewlang Lyngdoh won from Congress taking the reign from Ngaitlang Dhar in Umroi.
Another giant killer is Jason Sawkmie Mawlong who defeated Congress candidate and Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Celestine Lyngdoh from Umsning.
UDP Kyrmen Shylla defeated Khliehriat BJP MLA Justin Dkhar, NPP Dasakhiat Lamare defeated jailed Julius Dorphang who represented Mawhati.
First time MLAs
Some of the first time MLAs are Samuel M. Sangma Independent (Baghmara), Adelbert Nongrum (North Shillong), Independent SK Sunn (Mawphlang), UDP members Kyrmen Shylla and Nujorki Sungoh.
NPP candidates are Brening A. Sangma (Dalu), Wailadmiki Shylla (Jowai), Sosthenes Sohtun (Jirang), Rupert Momin (Kharkutta), Dasakhiat Lamare (Mawhati), Gigur Myrthong (Mawshynrut), Macmillan Byrsat (Nongstoin), Thomas A. Sangma (North Tura), Benedic R. Marak (Raksamgre), Rakkam A. Sangma (Rongara Siju), Jim M Sangma (Rongjeng).
Congress members are Azad Zaman (Rajabala), George Lyngdoh (Umroi), Mahendro Rapsang (West Shillong), Kimfa Marbaniang (Rambrai-Jyrngam),
PDF members joining the bandwagon of new MLAs are Gavin Miguel Mylliem, Banteidor Lyngdoh (Mawkynrew), Hamlet Dohling (Mylliem), Jason Sawkmie Mawlong (Umsning).
Female winners
The constituents of the 59 constituencies gave their mandate where they elected 3 female candidates namely, Ampareen Lyngdoh (Congress), Agatha Sangma (NPP) and Dikkanchi D. Shira (Congress). Altogether there were 31 women candidates. In the outgoing Assembly there were five women candidates.
Highest and lowest margin
UDP Kyrmen Shylla got the largest margin with 8181 votes against BJP Justine Dkhar with the former bagging 20285 votes and the latter got 12104.
The lowest margin is that of Macmillan Byrsat (NPP) and Gabriel Wahlang (Congress) with a margin of 60 votes. Byrsat received 9284 votes and 9224 votes was bagged by Wahlang.
All was clearly not well in the once powerful bastion of Independent legislator and NCP candidate Saleng A Sangma.
Saleng who was a former Congress minister in the Mukul government was denied a party ticket in 2013 compelling him to contest as an Independent. The chief minister had been wary of him over his political ambitions.
However, despite an all out campaign offensive by the Congress against the Gambegre MLA who had to fight from two fronts, political as well as militancy because of GNLA commander Baichung Momin’s personal enmity against him, Saleng emerged victorious in that election winning by a huge margin of 3457 votes.
This was an election with a different outcome.
The Congress pulled out all stops to ensure the victory of Zenith Sangma’s wife Sadhiarani Sangma as it went on an aggressive campaign mode hoping to swing peoples’ favour towards it.
They came very close to doing that, except that Saleng with all his political experience managed to upset their calculations and emerged victorious by a wafer thin 136 votes, the lowest in Garo Hills.
The results in neighboring Ampati was a different take.
Despite a hopeful BJP wave in favour of former Sericulture Director Bakul Hajong, the Chief Minister held his ground cruising through with a mammoth 8104 votes. The opposition voice was cut short.
MLAs/MDCs
The 2018 Assembly elections also witnessed disappointments and happiness for the MDCs who contested the elections.
Some of the MDCs who won are People’s Democratic Front (PDF) Banteidor Lyngdoh (Mawkynrew), Congress Process T. Sawkmie (Mawlai), Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) Adelbert Nongrum (North Shillong), HSPDP Samlin Malngiang (Sohiong), Congress Kimfa Marbaniang (Rambrai-Jyrngam).
Some of the MDCs who faced disappointment are KHADC CEM and PDF chairman PN Syiem (Mawsynram), BJP Neil Antonio War (East Shillong), PDF James Ban Basaiawmoit (Pynthorumkhrah), PDF Latiplang Kharkongor (Nongthymmai), PDF Grace Mary Kharpuri (Pynursla), NPP HS Shylla (Nongkrem), PDF James Sylliang (Mawhati), Independent Ricky Shullai (Mylliem), UDP Donkupar Sumer (Umsning), UDP Rona Khymdeit (Nongpoh), HSPSP Teilinia Thangkhiew (Mylliem), Congress Donevan Wanlang (Sohra), NPP PS Syiem (Mawryngkneng), PDF LG Nongsiej (Nongstoin).
CEMs defeated
The three CEMs of the state, the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) and Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) were in for a surprise as none of them clinched victory.
PDF and KHADC CEM PN Syiem lost the Mawsynram seat Congress HM Shangpliang, Congress and JHADC CEM Andrew Shullai lost to NPP Wailadmiki Shylla from Jowai and GHADC CEM and GNC CEM Boston Marak lost to Winnerson D. Sangma of Congress.
In favour of NOTA
13 constituents in Dalu which is the smallest constituency of all the constituencies opted for None of the Above (NOTA) while the highest share of NOTA went to Bajengdoba with 573.
Interestingly, NOTA bagged the third spot in West Shillong constituency.
The NOTA vote share in Jaintia Hills are Nartiang (115), Jowai (143) Mookaiaw (188), Sutnga-Saipung (120), Khliehriat (120), Raliang (360), Amlarem (469).
In Ri-Bhoi district- Mawhati (316), Nongpoh (308), Jirang (475), Umsning (163), Umroi (141).
In East Khasi Hills, the NOTA share is Mawryngkneng (184), Pynthorumkhrah (287), Mawlai (361), East Shillong (302), North Shillong (193), West Shillong (201), South Shillong (393), Mylliem (265), Nongthymmai (285), Nongkrem (157), Sohiong (175), Mawphlang (219), Mawsynram (164), Shella (195), Pynursla (208), Sohra (104), Mawkynrew (130).
In West Khasi Hills, NOTA’s share is Mairang (320), Mawthadraishan (160), Nongstoin (231), Rambrai-Jyrngam (287), Mawshynrut (326).
In South West Khasi Hills- Ranikor (138), Mawkyrwat (97).
In North Garo Hills- Kharkutta (263), Mendipathar (204), Resubelpara (155), Bajengdoba (573).
In East Garo Hills, the NOTA votes are Sonhsak (216), Rongjeng (377).
In West Garo Hills- Raksamgre (383), Tikrikilla (285), Phulbari (470), Rajabala(192), Selsella (113), Dadenggre (465), North Tura (226), South Tura (171), Rangsakona (169).
In South West Garo Hills, the NOTA votes were Ampati (208), Mahendraganj (151), Salmanpara (170).
In West Garo Hills, the NOTA share is Gambegre (282), Dalu (13).
In South West Garo Hills, the NOTA votes are Rongara Siju (418), Chokpot (275) and Baghmara (388).
On the other AAP, LJP, North East India Development Party (NEIDP), All India Trinamool Congress fail to open their accounts here in the state.
The All India Trinamool Congress fielded 8 candidates, GNC and AAP fielded 6 candidates each while LJP and North East India Development Party (NEIDP) fielded one each.
Woman behind a
successful man!
Behind every successful man is a woman, say the wise. So it is too for Conrad K Sangma, the chief architect of the NPP victory in this election in Meghalaya.
While steadfast in her support for her husband whose out of the box ideas have given the NPP the distinct cliché, Mehtab A Sangma also maintained that the mandate was a testament of Late P A Sangma’s legacy.
“Late Purno Sangma’s ‘connect’ with the people of Garo Hills has been legendary and this is a relationship which has paid rich dividends to the party even though our former leader is no more. He still remains amongst us,” said Conrad’s wife.
Recently blessed with a second daughter, the 33 year-old wife of the NPP president speaks about the hard work and sacrifice made by her husband for the party in this elections.
“In 2013 the NPP was a new party. There was very little time to expand its base and prepare the groundwork. Today the party has done exceptionally well under the guidance of Late P A Sangma’s son Conrad Sangma. People have given their endorsement of late leader through his son,” says daughter-in-law Mehtab.
