By Bhupen Goswami 

GUWAHATI  : Meghalaya Chief Minister and National People’s Party (NPP) president Conrad K Sangma today won the South Tura by-election

by defeating his nearest Congress rival Charlotte W Momin by over 8,400 votes, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) FR Kharkongor said. With Mr Sangma’s win the National People’s Party has levelled its tally at 20 with the opposition Congress in the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly. The NPP is heading a six-party Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government in the state. The NPP president secured a total of 13,656 votes of the 22,200 plus total votes polled in South Tura. His closest rival of the Congress, Charlotte W Momin, got 8,421 votes, the Chief Electoral Officer said.

Besides the NPP, the MDA also has the support of the BJP (2), NCP (1) along with the regional parties – United Democratic Party (7), the Peoples Democratic Front (4), the Hill State Peoples Democratic Party (2) and 2 Independents. In the Ranikor Assembly seat, the United Democratic Party candidate Pious Marwein is leading over NPP candidate Martin M Danggo by over 3,390 votes. Mr Danggo, who was elected on a Congress ticket for the fifth time in March, resigned in June this year to join the ruling NPP.

Conrad K Sangma, Meghalaya Chief Minister and Meghalaya National People’s Party (NPP) president, has won the South-Tura Assembly bypoll, the result of which was announced on Monday. Sangma defeated Congress rival Charlotte W Momin by over 8,400 votes, ANI quoted Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) F R Kharkongor as saying. The NPP president secured a total of 13,656 votes while Momin bagged 8,421 votes, the CEO said further. The NPP heads a six-party Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) in the state with the support of the BJP, NCP and regional parties like- United Democratic Party, the Peoples Democratic Front, the Hill State Peoples Democratic Party and two Independents. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Sangma on his victory, he tweeted: Currently, the Meghalaya Assembly comprises 19 NPP members,