The NCP on Tuesday wrested the Baghmara seat from the Congress, taking the tally of the ruling Meghalaya Progressive Alliance to 32. NCP candidate Satto Marak polled 7,419 votes, defeating his Congress rival Arjun Momin by a margin of 1,915 votes. Seven candidates were in the fray for the Baghmara polls.Elections were held in this constituency in South Garo Hills on March 22 after being countermanded following the death of sitting legislator and Congress nominee Sengran Sangma. The Congress had given its ticket to Sangma’s son Arjun Momin, hoping to ride a sympathy wave. However, party workers revolted against the party’s decision of allotting the ticket to Momin and most of the workers of the Baghmara unit decided to quit the party.The Congress led-Meghalaya United Alliance has 28 legislators. With the Congress losing the seat to the NCP, its hope of toppling the MPA Government has taken a back seat. On the other hand, with this win, the NCP tally in the 60-member House has gone up to 15, giving a boost to the Donkupar Roy Government that was sworn in on March 19 after the exit of the D D Lapang-led Congress ministry.
