Congress all set to retain power in JHADC

Incumbent JHADC Chief Executive Member (CEM) and Congress candidate Madonbai Rymbai — ***Incumbent JHADC (CEM) and Congress candidate Madonbai Rymbai***

SHILLONG, FEB 27: With thirteen of the twenty-nine seats in its pocket, Congress in Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) is all set to retain power despite allegations of misappropriation against the incumbent Chief Executive Member (CEM) and Congress candidate Madonbai Rymbai. Rymbai too retain his seat beating his UDP rival Lakhon Dkhar from Sohmynting-Khliehtyrshi constituency by five hundred votes.

The Congress is short by three MDCs for an absolute majority in JHADC.

What really came as a surprise is that nine Independent candidates including a sitting legislator won from their respective constituencies routing out the other regional parties like the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) and the Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) which drew a blank in Jaintia hills.

United Democratic Party (UDP) managed to bag six seats in their kitty.

Creating history, a woman candidate from the UDP Violet Lyngdoh defeated former Congress CEM Hambertus Nongtdu by a margin of over 50 votes from Rymbai-Khliehriat constituency in East Jaintia hills district.

Eighty-nine candidates, including two women, contested for the 29 seats in the JHADC in which over 90 per cent of a total of 2.09 lakh voters voted.

There are twenty one new faces who have entered the JHADC as MDCs, while only seven sitting MDCs including sitting legislator and Independent candidate Stephanson Mukhim made have been reeleced.

Mukhim defeated former Congress CEM Lamdibok Sumer by a margin of 11 votes only from War East constituency and sitting Congress MDC Hollando Lamin defeated UDP candidate and former Minister Riang Lenon Tariang by over 500 votes from War Central.

Former CEM Moonlight Pariat who contested from the UDP defeated the Congress candidate Dunno Nongpluh by a margin of over 2000 votes.

Sitting MDC from Ummulong Moodymmai Laitsing Shylla defeated his Independent woman contender Turoilang Laloo by a margin of over 400 votes.

Meanwhile, the result for Jowai – Central constituency which ended in a tie in the first round of counting is being re-counted with the Congress candidate A Andrew Shullai leading at the moment.- By Our Reporter