NCP wins Baghmara seat, increases tally to 15

Shillong, Mar 25 (UNI) The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) today got a shot in the arm when it wrested Baghmara seat from the Congress, taking the tally of the ruling United Democratic Party-led Meghalaya Progressive Alliance to 32 in the 60-member Assembly.

NCP candidate Satto Marak polled 7419 votes, defeating his nearest Congress rival Arjun Momin by 1915 votes.

Mr Momin is the son of former Congress MLA (late) Sengran M Sangma.

Besides, Mr Marak and Mr Momin, United Democratic Party candidate Ms Florence Sangma and four Independents were in the fray.

The election was necessitated following the death of Sengran M Sangma on February 16. Elections were held in the constituency in South Garo Hills on March 22 after being countermanded.

With this win, the NCP increased its tally to 15.

The Congress, which emerged as the single largest party with 25 seats, was just six seats short of a majority in the House.

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