Shylla won Nongkrem, Cong wins two

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG, DEC 16: Meghalaya home minister HDR Lyngdoh’ son and Congress candidate Nathanial Osbert Rymmai was defeated from Nongspund-Sohiong constituency while UDP candidate and former Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) chief executive member HS Shylla was elected from Nongkrem constituency.

In fact in Khasi hills out of the six constituencies that went for bye-elections to fill up the six MDCs seat, the Congress could clinch only one seat and the second one was that of War East constituency in Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council.

The BJP who was bracing with hope to win some seats drew a blank as six of the seven- one in Jaintia hills- forfeited their security deposits.

In KHADC, Congress candidate Kimfa Sidney Marbaniang clinched the Rambrai-Jyrngam constituency in West Khasi Hills District. He got 9159 votes defeating his nearest rival HSPDP candidate S World Champion by a margin of nearly 3000 votes.

Former JHADC CEM Lamdibok Sumer won the single seat from War East constituency in West Jaintia hills District on a Congress ticket by a margin of 177 votes defeating his closed opponent Losingh Lakuna, an Independent candidate.

Former Meghalaya assembly deputy speaker and state Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sanbor Shullai’s nephew Ricky Shullai was elected on an NCP ticket retaining the Laban-Mawprem constituency.

Former KHADC CEM and UDP candidate Hispreaching Son Shylla defeated Congress candidate Lamborsing Nongrum by a margin of nearly 2000 votes from Nongkrem constituency.

The Nongkrem seat is a major setback for the HSPDP chief Ardent M Basaiawmoit as his right hand man Hubert Ford Riang could secure only 4122 placing the party in the third position.

Similarly Congress candidate Nathanial Osbert Rymmai got 7408 votes as HSPDP candidate Samlin Malngiang  polled 8599 votes to clinch the Nongspung – Sohiong constituency seat.

On the other hand, UDP candidate Equator L Nongrang won the Mairang-Nongkhlaw seat by securing a total of 9696 votes and defeated the ruling Congress candidate Lambok Nongrang by a margin of only 70 votes.

The bye-election was necessitated after seven legislators resigned as members of Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council and the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council, following the passing of the anti-dual post Act.

The Prevention of Disqualification (Members of Legislative Assembly of Meghalaya) (Amendment) Act, 2015 seeks to end holding of dual posts by the MLAs.