NCP leads in Tura Parliamentary bypoll

Shillong, May 25 (UNI) Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate Agatha K Sangma today took an early lead against her main contender Congress' Zenith M Sangma as the counting of votes began for the Tura Parliamentary by-election in Meghalaya.

''Counting is going on peacefully with the NCP candidate leading over her main opponent, the Congress candidate, by a margin of 40,000 votes,'' Chief Electoral Officer P Naik told UNI here.

The by-election, held on May 22, was necessitated after former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno A Sangma quit the seat on being elected to the 60-member Meghalaya Legislative Assembly on March 8.

His daughter Agatha K Sangma is contesting the seat on an NCP ticket, while his nephew Boston Marak is contesting as an Independent.

The other candidate, who is contesting as an Independent, is John Leslee Sangma.

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