Prestige Battle In Meghalaya Bypoll As Congress Seeks To Retain Bastion

Tura/Meghalaya: Bypoll to Ampati assembly seat in Meghalaya's Garo hills is a battle between two of most prominent political families in the state --- the ruling National People's Party(NPP)-led alliance steered by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma versus the main opposition Congress under the stewardship of former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma.

By-election to Ampati is being held after Mukul Sangma who won two seats in the assembly polls held earlier this year gave up the seat that he won for the sixth consecutive time and retained Songsak. The Congress whose tally in the assembly is now down to 20 --- equal to the number of seats the NPP has --- is keen on going one up.

The Congress that has won 21 seats in the assembly polls has staked claim to form the government, citing the Karnataka example where the governor had first invited the BJP for being the single largest party.

NPP that had won 19 seats in the assembly polls in March has improved its tally by winning the Willamnagar seat, the election to which was postponed following the death of a candidate.

In Ampati, the Congress has fielded Mukul Sangma's 27-year-old daughter Miani D Shira, a first timer, to take on Clement Momin of the NPP who is backed by the BJP and other regional parties.

Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, his brother and home minister James Sangma and sister Agatha Sangma, who is the sitting lawmaker from Tura have campaigned hard. Mukul Sangma, his wife Dikkanchi D Shira and brother Zenith Sangma - both lawmakers too have held many rallies.
 In the run up to the bypoll, the Congress candidate Miani D Shira has lodged a police complaint accusing Meghalaya home minister James Sangma and Tura lawmaker Agatha Sangma of trying to bribe voters. The NPP has also filed a police complaint against Mukul Sangma, accusing him of campaigning even after the deadline of May 26.

By-election to the lone Lok Sabha seat from Nagaland is expected to be a straight contest between two regional fronts --- one backed by the BJP and the other by the Congress. The bypoll was necessitated after sitting Lok Sabha member Neiphiu Rio vacated his seat and became chief minister after entering into a pre-poll alliance with the BJP. In 2014, Mr Rio had won the seat by a margin of over four lakh votes.

While the ruling People's Democratic Alliance (PDA) that includes the BJP, has fielded Tokheho Yepthomi, Mr Rio's former party Naga People's Front, which is supported by the Congress, has fielded C Apok Jamir, the son of former Nagaland chief minister SC Jamir.

Bypoll to the Lok Sabha seat is being held against the backdrop of a boycott call given by the All Nagaland College Students Union that wants the deputation of teachers to non-teaching posts to stop, citing a shortage of teachers at government-run school. The boycott call is being backed by the Naga Students Federation.