Hung Assembly in Meghalaya: A Goan Déjà Vu for the Congress?

Hung Assembly in Meghalaya

(Photo: The Quint)

Video Editor: Purnendu Pritam

Voters in Meghalaya ended up giving the state a hung Assembly. Congress, which was in power since 2009, fell short of the majority even though it emerged as the single-largest party with 21 of 60 seats.

The second largest gainer in the state was National People’s Party (NPP) which won 19 seats. On the other hand, regional parties like the UDP, HSDP, and GNC, Independent candidates, and ‘other’ parties bagged the other 20 seats.

Surprisingly, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which had performed well in the neighbouring Nagaland and Tripura, won only two seats.

Now what are the possible outcomes from this situation?

Scenario 1

Senior Congress leaders Ahmed Patel and Kamal Nath are already in Shillong. This is good news for the Congress as the party was caught napping after Goa and Manipur Assembly elections, where despite emerging as the single-largest party, it failed to form the government.

If Patel and Nath are able to stitch an alliance with regional parties, the Congress may be able to continue its reign in Meghalaya.

Scenario 2

Even though the NPP and the BJP fought the elections independently, the NPP is a part of the NEDA (Northeastern Democratic Alliance). The NEDA is a an alliance of northeastern parties that aims at counter the Congress in the region.

Both NPP and BJP combined have 21 seats. Meanwhile, UDP, HSDP and GNC have a pre-poll alliance of their own, with eight seats among them. If both these groups come together, we can see a repeat of Goa and Manipur in Meghalaya.

The BJP has already asked Assam Minister and one of its senior-most leader in the region, Himanta Biswa Sarma, to rush to Meghalaya to hold talks with smaller parties and Independent candidates.

Scenario 3

This is probably the most unlikely scenario, but if no alliance is possible, then the state will be forced to go under President’s rule.

The Congress has been in power in Meghalaya since 2003, while the incumbent Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has been in the helm of affairs since 2010.

He won from both Ampati and Songsak constituencies.