Our Bureau
SHILLONG/JOWAI/NONGPOH, Feb 24: The Voice of the People Party, the youngest political party in Meghalaya, defied history and the might of the National People’s Party to secure a comprehensive majority by sweeping to victory in 17 out of the 29 seats in the KHADC.
The ruling NPP was relegated to the third position with only four seats, behind its MDA ally, UDP, which bagged five seats in the hotly-contested elections.
Two independent candidates won in the elections with the HSPDP managing one seat. The Congress party, seeking a resurgence in Meghalaya, failed to open its account.
Such was the dominance of the VPP that several seasoned politicians like Pyniaid Sing Syiem, Pynshngain N Syiem, Lamphrang Blah, Lambor Malngiang, Macdalyne S Mawlong, Fantin J Lakadong, Teiborlang Pathaw, Batskhem Ryntathiang, Jambor War, and Carnes Sohshang had to taste defeat.
VPP candidates swept to victory in majority of the seats in Khasi Hills region including most of the seats in the Shillong agglomeration. VPP won the Mawhati, Umsning, Umroi, Sohryngkham, Mawkynrew, Nongkrem, Langkyrdem-Laitkroh, Mylliem, Nongthymmai, Laitumkhrah-Malki, Mawkhar-Pynthorumkhrah, Jaiaw, Mawlai, Mawphlang-Diengiei, Pariong-Mawthadraishan, Mawkyrwat, and Nongstoin, sweeping aside several sitting MLAs, MDCs and political heavyweights in the process.
The UDP candidates bagged the Shella, Sohra, Nongspung-Sohiong, Mairang-Nongkhlaw, and Langrin seats.
Independent candidates Ricky Shullai and Lurshai Kharbani won from the won from Laban-Mawprem and Rambrai-Jyrngam constituencies while the HSPDP managed to stay afloat with a win in Mawshynrut.
As far as the JHADC is concerned, the NPP emerged as the single-largest party with 13 seats, missing the majority mark of 16 in the 30-member House.
The VPP was in the second position in JHADC with eight seats, the UDP and Congress secured wins in three seats each while independent candidates bagged victories in two seats.
NPP won the battle in War West, Moodymmai-Nongkhroh, Nartiang-Wahiajer, Moodop-Umladang, Mynsngat-Khanduli, Barato-Mukroh, Mowkaiaw, Raliang, Sutnga-Narwan, Sutnga-Nongkhlieh, Shangpung, Sumer and Bataw-Lakadong.
VPP candidates secured victories in War Central, Mukhla-Ummulong, Mynso-Nongjngi, Shilliang-Myntang, Nangbah-Mihmyntdu, Jowai North, Muthlong-Sohkymphor, and Narpuh constituencies.
The Congress won the Amwi-Khliehtyrshi, Saphai-Sahsniang and Saipung-Nongkhlieh seats while the UDP won in Tuber-Wapung, Musniang-Rangad and War East.
Rymbai-Khliehriat seat was won by independent candidate Violet Lyngdoh while another independent candidate Moonlight Pariat won from Jowai South.
The results in Ri-Bhoi took everyone by surprise, as the VPP secured victories in Umroi, Mawhati, and Umsning while the NPP claimed wins in Nongpoh and Jirang. The Congress and UDP failed to secure any seat. One of the most unexpected outcomes was the victory of VPP’s Kynjohlang Rangtong in Mawhati. Rangtong defeated NPP’s Joplin Sten who was strongly backed by former Mawhati MDC Charles Marngar, who is also the sitting NPP MLA.
Another major upset unfolded in Umsning, where VPP’s Banrikus Nongsteng narrowly edged past former MDC Macdalyne Sawkmie Mawlong by just 571 votes.
In Umroi, VPP candidate Isynei Hinge secured an unexpected victory, defeating former NPP MDC Rangkynsai Kharbuki. The biggest surprise, however, was the performance of independent candidate and former MLA George B Lyngdoh, who was widely regarded as the favourite to win. Despite his strong political presence in the constituency, Lyngdoh secured only 5,011 votes, falling far behind both Hinge and Kharbuki.
Meanwhile, in Jirang, NPP’s Sosthenes Sohtun, the sitting MLA, secured a decisive victory over former MDC Victor Ranee, who had defected to Congress just weeks before the election.
In Nongpoh, NPP’s Rona Khymdeit emerged as the only victorious female candidate in the Ri-Bhoi MDC elections. She defeated former UDP MDC Balajied Ranee by a margin of 3,644 votes. Khymdeit, who previously served as an MDC from UDP in 2014 before losing in 2019, secured 11,306 votes, while Ranee garnered 7,662 votes.