Campaigning picks up for November 21 Assembly bypoll in Meghalaya

SHILLONG: Campaigning for the November 21 Assembly bypoll at Nongstoin in Meghalaya has picked up with the ruling Congress leaving no stone unturned to grab the seat, once a bastion of regional outfit Hill State Peoples Democratic Party (HSPDP).

The by-election was necessitated following the death of sitting legislator Hoping Stone Lyngdoh of HSPDP on September 26.

Chief Minister Mukul Sangma led the campaign for the Congress candidate while United Democratic Party chief Donkupar Roy and HSPDP leaders were seeking support for their candidates.

With the polling scheduled this Saturday, Chief Electoral Officer P Naik said that the Centre has granted deployment of two additional companies (nealy 100 personnel each) of central para-military forces to ensure smooth conduct of the poll.

General and expenditure observers have also been deployed in the West Khasi Hills district constituency even as nodal officers from the IT department are supervising the entire election process, he said.

Altogether four candidates, including a lone woman Independent candidate, are in the fray for Nongstoin, considered to be the bastion of HSPDP as its former president Hoping Stone had never lost an election since the state attained statehood.

The HSPDP has chosen Hoping's personal secretary Diosstarness Jyndiang as its candidate while former Youth Congress leader Gabriel Wahlang is contesting on a Congress ticket.