After results of the Meghalaya by-poll were announced on Tuesday, the winner was the ruling Congress party.
Bluebell Sangma, the Congress candidate, defeated her nearest rival, Pillipole D Marak, of the National People’s Party. The margin in the Chokpot assembly constituency by-election was 2550 votes.
The State election commissioner earlier announced the by-election following the death of Clifford R Marak, Garo National Council MLA.
Bluebell Sangma held 8042 votes, with Pillipole D. Marak receiving 5492 votes.
Clifford R Marak’s wife Kalpana D Sangma, was a candidate for the Garo National Council, receiving 5009 votes and Independent candidate Tinkerwin R Marak, much further back, received 1189 votes.
Bluebell Sangma was formerly a member of the Nationalist Congress Party. She joined the Congress party before the by-election was announced.
Congress now has 30 seats in the 60-member Meghalaya assembly.
Turnout for the poll, held on June 27, between 8am and 5pm, was 83.11 percent of the 24,244 electorate.
Candidates in the Chokpot Assembly Constituency By Election
- Bluebell R. Sangma – NCP
- Phillipole D. Marak – NPP
- Kalpana D. Sangma – GNC
- Thinkerwin R. Marak – Independent
There were two other candidates, both listed as independent. The candidacy of Daewish S. Marak was rejected, and Secondson A. Sangma withdrew.
Dhirendra Ojha, Director of the electoral commission noted that the electoral roll of the Chokpot constituency was revised with reference to 1 January 2015 as the qualifying date and was finally published on 5-1-2015. Voter identification was mandatory, with the main identification document being the electoral photo identity card.
11 Independent MLA’S, two members of the Nationalist Congress Party, one member of North East Democratic Socialist Party supported the Meghalaya Congress government. Leader of the Congress is Dr Mukul Sangma.
