Meghalaya Assembly elections: NPP ahead in 22 seats, BJP, Congress leading in 6 seats each in latest trends

New Delhi: The ruling National People's Party was leading on 22 of the total 59 Assembly constituencies of Meghalaya while the BJP and the Congress were leading on 6 seats each, according to the latest trend shared by the Election Commission at 11.10 am on Thursday.
According to the data shared by EC, National People's Party's candidate Dasakhiatbha Lamare from Nongkrem was leading Congress's Emlang Laloo by 629 votes. Supporters of all the parties in fray gathered at the Polo Ground in Shillong as the counting of votes for the Meghalaya Assembly continued.
Meanwhile, anticipating a win, NPP supporters gathered outside CM Conrad Sangma's residence in Tura.
The ruling party, as per the latest trends, was ahead in 22 of the total 59 Assembly segments.
According to the data shared by the EC at 10.32am, the NPP chief was leading BJP's Bernard N Marak in South Tura by a margin of 44 votes.
Further, NPP's Santa Mary Shylla was leading Congress's Vincent .H. Pala in Sutnga Saipung by a margin of 1257 votes.
The NPP candidate from East Shillong, Dr. Mazel Ampareen Lyngdoh, was leading Congress' Manuel Badwar by a margin of 212 votes.
Trinamool Congress state chief and former chief minister Mukul Sangma was leading National People's Party's Nihim D Shira in Songsak by a margin of 457 votes.
The counting in all 13 centres commenced at 8 am. Initially, the postal ballots were counted for the first 30 minutes followed by the counting of polled votes in the EVM Control Units.
Shillong has the States maximum number of 14 Counting Halls, one each for each assembly constituency.
West Garo Hills District Counting Centre caters to 11 assembly constituencies and is the second-largest counting centre in the state.
Election Commission has deployed 27 Counting Observers and over 500 micro observers are assisting the Counting Observers at each table.
Ahead of the counting of votes for Meghalaya assembly polls, Meghalaya Chief Minister and National People's Party (NPP) chief Conrad Sangma met Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma in Guwahati on Tuesday night. Notably, Sarma is the convenor of the North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA).
A top source of NPP told ANI that both Chief Ministers took part in a crucial meeting in a hotel in Guwahati and the meeting lasted for half an hour.
Following the meeting, the Meghalaya Chief Minister returned to Tura in West Garo Hills.
Earlier on Tuesday, Meghalaya CM hinted at forming a post-poll alliance to form the government.
Each table has a counting Observer assisted by four counting assistants.
Meghalaya recorded a voting percentage of over 76 per cent on Monday.
Polling was held at 3,419 polling stations across 59 Assembly constituencies in the state.
Of the 60 Assembly constituencies in Meghalaya, 36 constituencies fall in Khasi, Jaintia Hills region while 24 are in Garo Hills region.
However, polling for the Sohiong Assembly constituency was postponed following the demise of the state's former Home Minister and United Democratic Party (UDP) candidate from the seat HDR Lyngdoh. (ANI)