Voting for Assembly Elections in Meghalaya, Nagaland Begin Today

Digital Desk: The two important northeastern states of Meghalaya and Nagaland, where the voters will decide the fate of candidates on Monday, have seen their high-voltage campaigns come to an end.

The voting process started at 7 am and will last until 4 pm in both states.

In Meghalaya, 369 candidates will have their destiny decided by nearly 21 lakh (21,75,236) voters, including 10.99 lakh women and 10.68 lakh men.

Almost 81,000 people in the state are voting for the first time.

In 59 Assembly seats throughout the state, 3,419 polling places will be open for voting.

36 of the 60 Assembly districts in Meghalaya are in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills region, and 24 are in the Garo Hills region.

Almost 81,000 people in the state are voting for the first time.

There are 369 candidates in total, 36 of whom are female. 44 of the total number of candidates are competing as Independents.

The anti-incumbency factor may be a challenge for the incumbent National People's Party (NPP), which is vying for reelection.

March 15 marks the end of the 60-seat Meghalaya Legislative Assembly's current term.

The threshold for forming a majority in the state is 31.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was able to gain two seats in the 2018 Assembly elections, while Congress won 21 seats and the National People's Party (NPP) won 19. Six seats were won by the United Democratic Party (UDP).

Even though Congress was the single-largest party, the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA), led by the NPP, was capable of forming the government with the help of the UDP, BJP, and other local parties.

This time, the BJP and NPP are running independently without forming a pre-election coalition. Both the BJP and the Congress have put forth candidates for each seat. Following the defection of 12 Congress MLAs in 2021, the Trinamool Congress (TMC), which then held the position of the primary opposition party in Meghalaya, grew in strength, especially after former chief minister Mukul Sangma joined the party. In 58 seats, TMC fielded candidates.

Conrad Sangma, the chief minister, is contesting in the South Tura constituency, whereas Bernard N. Marak, the candidate of the BJP, is contesting against the NPP leader. James Sangma of the NPP is running against Congress candidate Chesterfield Sangma in Dadenggre.

On the Trinamool ticket, Mukul Sangma, a former chief minister, is running for two seats: Tikrikilla and Songsak. Metbah Lyngdoh, the UDP's leader, is running from Mairang. Also, NPP compared Prestone Tynsong with Pynursla. Titosstar Well Chyne, a UDP candidate, is running in Sohra.

Nongthymmai native Charles Pyngrope has been selected by the TMC. In South Shillong, the BJP ran Sanbor Shullai, and in West Shillong, Ernest Mawrie. The NPP's East Shillong candidate is Mazel Ampareen Lyngdoh.

The BJP fielded Alexander Laloo Hek in Pynthorumkhrah. Lahkmen Rymbui, the leader of the UDP, is contesting from Amlarem. Vincent H. Pala was running for Congress in Sutnga Saipung. Kyrmen Shylla, a UDP candidate, is running in Khliehriat.

Parties displayed their full strength when it came to campaigning, from the NPP to the BJP and Congress to Trinamool. No one was on the back foot, whether it was making poll pledges or using slogans to attack rival forces.

The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have 119 companies on the ground in Meghalaya thanks to the Election Commission.

Chief Election Officer for Meghalaya FR Kharkongor reported that 640 voting places have been classified as "vulnerable," 323 as "critical," and 84 as both.

The BJP, however, has already established itself in Nagaland ahead of the election as Kazheto Kinimi, a party candidate, won the Akuluto seat without opposition when the Congress candidate withdrew.

There will now be a total of 183 contestants contesting in the Nagaland Assembly elections following Khekashe Sumi's departure from the race.

The candidates vying for the State polls include 20 from BJP, CPI (1), INC (23), NCP (12), NPP (12), NDPP (40), NPF (22), RPP (1), JD (U) (7), LJP (Ram Vilas) (15), RPI (Athawale) (9), RJD (3), and Independent (19).

It's important to note that only four of the 183 candidates running this time are women. 14 Assembly elections have taken place in Nagaland since it was founded in 1963, however, there has never been a female Legislator.

13,17,632 voters will exercise their right to vote to determine the fate of political parties and to choose their representatives for the 60-member Nagaland Legislative Assembly, 6,61,489 of them will be male voters and 6,56,143 female voters.

The counting will be done on March 2 in both states.