Meghalaya will vote for a new government on February 27 along with Nagaland. The election results for the northeastern states of Tripura, Meghalaya, and Nagaland will be announced on March 2. The voting for all 60 Assembly seats in Tripura was held in a single phase on February 16.
The Election Commission announced the election schedule for the three states on January 18.
The term of the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly ends on March 15. The last date to file nomination was February 7. A total of 375 candidates are trying their luck in the 2023 Meghalaya election.
A party needs to win at least 31 seats in the election to form the government in Meghalaya.
In the 2018 Meghalaya Assembly election, the National People's Party (NPP) won 19 seats, the Congress claimed 21 seats, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won two seats. The United Democratic Party (UDP) emerged victorious in six constituencies.
The Congress emerged as the largest single party in the last Assembly election. The NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA), however, came to power with support from BJP, UDP, and other regional parties.
This time, the BJP and NPP haven't formed an alliance and are contesting solo while the Trinamool Congress has emerged as a strong force in the state. BJP is contesting the election alone and has fielded candidates in all 60 Assembly constituencies. Congress is also contesting in all 60 seats.
The NPP and UDP have also not announced any pre-poll alliance. The Trinamool Congress is also trying to make inroads in Meghalaya. It became the main opposition party in the state after 12 Congress MLAs, including former Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, joined the party in 2021. Trinamool has fielded candidates in 58 seats.
Incumbent Chief Minister and the president of NPP Conrad Sangma is confident of returning to power for a second consecutive term by emerging as the single largest party. On the other hand, NPP's former ally BJP is looking forward to a strong foothold in the northeastern state by significantly increasing its tally.
In 2013, Congress retained power in Meghalaya after bagging 29 seats. The NPP had won two while the UDP grabbed eight seats.
