Meghalaya: Party demanding constitutional protection for state culture wins Khasi Hills polls

The Voice of the People Party on Monday defeated Meghalaya’s ruling National People’s Party in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council elections, PTI reported.

The Voice of the People Party also won the second-highest number of seats in the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council polls.

Polling in the two tribal-dominated councils was held last week. The result was announced on Monday.

The Voice of the People Party, led by Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit, won 17 out of the 29 seats in the Khasi Hills council. Chief Minister Conrad Sangma’s National People’s Party won four seats.

While the United Democratic Party secured five seats, the Hill State People’s Democratic Party bagged one. The two remaining seats were won by Independents.

This was the first time that a national party failed to win any seat in the Khasi Hills council, with the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party drawing blanks, PTI reported. The Hindutva party is an ally of the state’s ruling NPP.

In the Jaintia Hills council, the Voice of the People Party won 8 out of the 29 seats. The NPP won 13 seats. The Congress and the United Democratic Party won three seats each. The two remaining seats were won by Independents.

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