The Gambegre by-election in Meghalaya is facing a multi cornered contest

The Gambegre by-election in Meghalaya is facing a multi cornered contest. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma's wife Mehtab Chandee Sangma filed her nomination papers for Gambegre by election. She is contesting as National People’s Party (NPP) nominee.

BJP's Bernard Marak, who is also the Tura Member of District Council and Congress candidate Jingjang M Marak also filed their papers. Trinamool Congress candidate Sadhiarani M Sangma filed her nomination for the upcoming by-election to the Gambegre seat. She is the wife of former MLA Zenith Sangma.

The by-election was necessitated by the resignation of Saleng A. Sangma, who was elected to the Lok Sabha from Tura. The voting will be held on November 13 and the results will be declared on November 23.


NPP is leading the coalition government in Meghalaya supported by BJP. Sadhiarani, who had contested from Gambegre lost to Saleng Sangma in the last Assembly elections.

The constituency has a total of 32,254 voters including 16,331 males and 15,923 females, 3 service voters, 64 senior citizens, 100 persons with disabilities (PwDs). Of the 51 polling stations, 31 are identified as critical polling stations. There are no vulnerable polling stations under the constituency.

In the last assembly polls Bernad unsuccessfully contested against Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma in South Tura seat. In 2023 relationship between BJP and NPP soured as BJP 's state vice president Bernard Marak was arrested for allegedly running a brothel.

The BJP had described his arrest as “political vendetta”. Marak was given conditional bail.

Assam

In Assam by election has created furore in the opposition alliance. The remaining members of the Asom Sonmilito Morcha (ASOM) have announced their decision to continue their fight against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) without the Congress.

The opposition alliance has fielded Lakhikanta Kurmi for the Behali by-poll after Congress went back on its earlier decision of not fielding the candidate and leaving for its partners. Congress announced Jayanta Borah as its candidate for the Behali seat. Borah has recently quitted BJP.

Five assembly seats are going to polls in Assam, BJP will contest three and one seat will be contested by its allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL). Congress is contesting all the five seats.

State Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah has resigned as the head of the 18-party opposition Assam Sanmilita Morcha (ASOM) citing “tremendous pressure” to leave one of the five seats going to the by-polls next month for the Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation or CPI(ML).