Meghalaya: Gambegre bypoll likely to see four-cornered high-profile contest

The upcoming Gambegre by-election in Meghalaya’s Garo Hills is set to witness a high-profile contest with the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) fielding chief minister Conrad Sangma’s wife Mehtab Chandee Sangma and Trinamool Congress (TMC) pitting Sadhiarani M. Sangma, the sole female member of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) and the wife of former MLA Zenith Sangma, against her.
The poll is likely to be a four-cornered contest with the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also giving signals to throw their hats in the ring.
The by-election was necessitated by the resignation of Saleng A. Sangma, who was elected to the Lok Sabha from Tura earlier this year. The voting will be held on November 13 and the results will be declared on November 23.
The Congress, buoyed by recent electoral successes in the region, is expected to field Jingjang M. Marak, a close associate of Saleng Sangma, though the grape vine says it could be former deputy chief minister Deborah C Marak.
Meanwhile, the BJP is looking to make inroads into the Garo Hills, with its state vice president Bernard N. Marak expressing readiness to contest the election.
With CM Sangma’s wife’s candidacy, the ruling NPP aims to reinforce the party’s standing in the Garo Hills, where it has faced setbacks in recent elections.
Emphasizing his party’s commitment to strengthening its influence in Garo Hills, Sangma told journalists, “Mehtab has always been intricately connected with the grassroots and understands the needs of the people in Gambegre. We are confident she will help us continue the development work in the region.”
TMC’s Sadhiarani has previously contested from Gambegre, narrowly losing to Saleng Sangma in the last Assembly elections. Her political experience and the backing of former chief minister Dr. Mukul Sangma makes her a formidable opponent.
Announcing her candidacy, Mukul Sangma said, “The ruling NPP is desperate to win Gambegre, but the people will give them a befitting reply. Our candidate, Sadhiarani, has a deep understanding of the constituency and its issues.” He also criticised the NPP’s alleged distribution of materials to sway voters, hinting at “political desperation.”
This by-election is crucial for the Congress, as losing the seat will further reduce its strength in the Meghalaya Assembly. The party, which had five members in the House, now has only one member as Saleng quit to go to Lok Sabha and three others parted ways to align with the NPP.
A senior Congress leader said, “We are committed to fielding a strong candidate who will represent the people’s interests and ensure that the Congress retains its stronghold in Gambegre.”
Meghalaya chief electoral officer (CEO), BDR Tiwari said the notification will be issued on October 18. The last date of filing of nominations will be on October 25, scrutiny of nomination papers on October 28 and the last date of withdrawal of nominations will be on October 30, he added.
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.