About Meghalaya
In the lap of nature, Meghalaya is one of the four tribal dominated states of the North Eastern Region of India. Formed on 21 January 1972, the name Meghalaya literally means 'the abode of clouds' in Sanskrit. Bound by Bangladesh and Assam, the state boasts its forestry, agriculture and tourism. Originally a part of the state of Assam, Meghalaya consists of the Garo Hills, the United Jaintia and the Khasi Hill districts. The state is gifted with great mineral wealth, but its utilisation for expansion has been negligible. Traditionally known as the 'Scotland of the East', the state has attracted tourists from all over the world, which in turn has steadied Meghalaya's economy.
Member Representation at the Centre
Meghalaya has a unicameral government. As per the latest update on Meghalaya, its members to the 60 seat Legislative Assembly are elected every five years. Meghalaya Lok Sabha seats are two and only one seat to the Rajya Sabha. Under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, Meghalaya has three district councils - the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Hills. In addition to the Assembly Elections, the state also holds elections for these district councils. The state has two parliamentary constituencies, Shillong and Tura, which are reserved for the Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates.
Ruling Party and the Constitution
Though the Governor is the constitutional head of the state, the real executive powers lies in the hands of the Chief Minister and his Cabinet. The current Governor of Manipur is Krishnan Kant Paul. The incumbent Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, representing the Congress party, has ruled the roost in the state since 2010.
Election History
After its inauguration as a state of India in 1970, Meghalaya election saw a fierce race of governance between the Congress and the United Democratic Party (Meghalaya). The state has been under the President's rule twice, in 1992 and 2009. The first Chief Minister of the state was All Party Hill Leaders' Conference's (APHLC), W A Sangma. Under the APHLC's banner, he governed the state in 1976 too. However, he joined hands with the INC in November 1976, and lead the party in the state till 1978. He was re-elected in 1981 and 1983.
The Congress has governed the state for 13 terms since its formation, with Chief Minister Mukul Sangma presiding over his second term. Mukul Sangma faced stiff opposition from P A Sangma, who quit the NCP to form the National People's Party in 2013.
The 2014 polls were the state's 11th Lok Sabha elections. Since its formation, the first General Elections were held in 1977. The Congress has led the state since then, and did not lose a single Lok Sabha election. The last General Elections saw the Congress and NCP bag one seat each. Currently, Congress' Vincent H Pala and NCP's Agatha K Sangma, are the sitting MPs for the Shilliong and Tura constituencies, respectively.
Political Parties
- Indian National Congress (INC) : The Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee is a wing of the INC for the state. The party is headed by D D Lapang. Daryl William Cheran Momin, was the front runner for the Congress ticket for the Tura Lok Sabha seat, which is considered as PA Sangma's stronghold.
- National People's Party (NPP) : Formed in 2013 by P A Sangma, the NPP has been expanding its base in Meghalaya by forging an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Sangma announced the new party after he was expelled by the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in July 2012, after he refused to quit the Indian presidential elections.
- Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) : The Sharad Pawar-led party has strong functioning units all across the country. The party's overall vision has been equality and social justice. Agatha K Sangma represented the NCP in the Tura constituency.
- Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP) : Led by Hoping Stone Lyngdoh, the HSPDP is one of the official parties of Meghalaya. The party's main aim is to attain a separate Ri Khasi Jaintia State under Article 371 of the Indian constitution.
Prominent Political Leaders
Quick Facts |
No. of PCs: 2
No. of Polling Days: 1
Polling Dates: 09 April (Phase 2)
No. of Polling Stations: 2,562
No. of Polling Station locations: 2,165
Total Electors: 15,53,028 (as on 28th January 2014)
Electors in Age Group 18 to 25 years: 22.62%
Women Electors: 50.43%
Poll Expenditure Limit per Candidate : Rs. 70 lakhs
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Meghalaya Parliamentary Constituency Winners 2009
PC No. | PC Name | Category | Winning Candidate | Gender | Party | Total Votes |
1 | Shillong | (ST) | Vincent H Pala | M | INC | 232270 |
2 | Tura | (ST) | Agatha K. Sangma | F | NCP | 154476 |
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Parliamentary Constituencies in Meghalaya |
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