SHILLONG, FEB 28: Four women candidates who all are incidentally from the Congress party have been elected to the assembly. Four legislators are the highest number of women to be elected to the assembly beating the earlier record of three women legislators.
Former deputy chief minister Deborah Marak won from the Williamnagar, chief minister Mukul Sangma’s wife Dikancchi D Shira from Majenderaganj, Ampareen Lyngdoh from East Shillong and Roshan Warjri from North Shillong constituencies.
In 1998, there were only three women legislators in the 60-member Meghalaya assembly that included Deborah Marak, Roshan Warjri, and Irene Lyngdoh.
But the number came down with only one women legislator in 2003 and in 2008 Meghalaya assembly.
Altogether twenty-five women took part in the 2013 Meghalaya assembly election of which four were elected.
Deborah polled total votes of 6148 followed by Independent candidate Jonathane N Sangma 4166 and NPP Maruius N Marak who polled total votes of 3344 failing to retain the seat.
.Ampareen Lyngdoh, the only woman legislator of the outgoing assembly, clinched the East Shillong seat beating veteran UDP leader and ceputy chief minister Bindo Mathew Lanong.
Sangma’s wife Dikanchi D Shira a new entrant to electoral politics too won the Mahendraganj seat polling a total of 11, 580 votes beating her nearest rival UDP sitting legislator Nimarson Momin who polled 4721 votes.
Warjri however won with a thumping majority against her opponents from the North Shillong seat.
Speaking to reporters after he victory Lyngdoh said, “I was put down by accusations after accusations but the result has proved that the people are still with me and believe in me.”
Warjri, on the other hand, said expressed her gratefulness to the people and said, “Am happy to come back and will try my level best to serve the people.” – By Our Reporter
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