NCP to sweeps Assembly polls in Meghalaya, Sangma

Shillong, Dec 7 (UNI) After the NCP defeated its arch-rival Congress in Meghalaya's Rongjeng Assembly constituency by-poll,former Lok Sabha Speaker and NCP leader Purno A Sangma said his party will give a tough fight to the Congress during the 2008 assembly polls.

''The thumping victory of our candidate in the by-poll has indicated that the NCP will sweeps the state polls in Garo Hills,'' Mr Sangma told UNI over the phone from East Garo Hills district.

NCP's Desang M Sangma defeated his nearest Congress rival Mettrinson G Momin by a whopping margin of 4,671 votes in a four-cornered contest.

Today's verdict of the Garo people was clear indication that they are fed up with the Congress, the Garo strongman said, adding the NCP will work together with the people to ensure development in the state.

Echoing him, BJP legislator Alexander L Hek said, ''NCP's landslide victory in the Rongjeng by-poll points towards its victory in the forthcoming assembly election.

''This victory indicates that the people are fed up with the Congress due to their legislators continuous fight among themselves for power,'' Mr Hek said.

Attributing NCP's victory due to Mr Sangma's intensive campaign in Rongjeng, Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee president Onward L Nongtdu said the NCP deserved to win the by-poll due to Mr Sangma's campaign in the area.

''They had campaigned well and they deserved to win,'' Mr Nongtdu told UNI over phone while accepting the Rongjeng people's mandate.

The MPCC president added that he would soon analyse the reasons of Congress failing to retain the seat.

The Rongjeng by-poll was necessitated following the death of Congress legislator Predickson G Momin.

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