Meghalaya Assembly Elections 2023: Polling today on 59 seats, 369 candidates in fray

Meghalaya is all set for polling in 59 of the 60 assembly seats where more than 21.6 lakh voters will seal the fate of 369 candidates on Monday, as the ruling National People's Party will fight to retain power, while the BJP and Trinamool Congress will attempt to unseat the incumbent government from power.

Chief Electoral Officer F R Kharkongor said preparations for conducting a free, fair and peaceful election have been completed. Polling will begin at 7 am in 3,419 booths and will continue till 4 pm. As many as 640 polling booths have been categorised as 'vulnerable' and 323 as 'critical'. 

Thirty-six of the 369 candidates are women. The highest of 10 women nominees have been put up by the Congress. Polling in Sohiong constituency has been adjourned due to the death of one of the candidates.

The NPP, which has been leading the ruling alliance for the last five years, is fighting alone against former ally BJP, opposition TMC, and other regional parties such as the United Democratic Party and People's Democratic Front.

The Voice of the People's Party, contesting in 18 assembly constituencies in the Khasi Jaintia Hills region, has attracted large crowds in its rallies and hopes to win several seats.

"Over 19,000 polling personnel and 119 companies of CAPFs have been deployed in polling stations. They have been backed by state police personnel to maintain law and order," the CEO said.

The international border with Bangladesh has also been sealed.

Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma is contesting from South Tura constituency where he will lock horns with militant-turned-politician Bernard Marak, who was arrested last year and later released on bail on the charge of running a brothel in his farm house and being involved in human trafficking.

Leader of Opposition and TMC leader Mukul Sangma is contesting from two seats ? Songsak and Tikrikilla. His wife D D Shira is also contesting the polls

The LoP's brother and his brother's wife are also in the fray.

The Congress and the BJP are contesting in 59 seats, while the NPP has put up nominees in 56 constituencies, the TMC in 57 and the UDP in 46.

The northeastern state saw high-pitched electioneering, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and other politicians addressing rallies.