Fifty-six MLAs and Rajya Sabha MP WR Kharlukhi voted here today as part of the election of the next President of India.
The election was held nationwide and the ballot boxes will be taken to New Delhi and the counting of votes will take place on July 21.
The election in Shillong was held at the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly in Rilbong, starting at 10am and ending at 5pm. North Tura MLA Thomas Sangma was the first to cast his vote and North Shillong legislator Adelbert Nongrum the last.
Four MLAs, however, missed out – cabinet ministers James PK Sangma and Sniawbhalang Dhar as well as opposition lawmakers Shitlang Pale and Marthon Sangma. The latter has reportedly tested positive for Covid-19. James is in the United Kingdom and Dhar has just been discharged from hospital for an ailment.
Most of the electors from Meghalaya were expected to vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Draupadi Murmu, who would become the first tribal President of India.
Her status as a tribal is one of her selling points to tribal-dominated Meghalaya. Two tribals from the state were unsuccessful presidential candidates. George Gilbert Swell was the first tribal of India to contest in 1992 as an opposition candidate. He lost to Shankar Dayal Sharma of Congress. Ten years later, Purno A Sangma was the second. He was supported by the BJP and its allies but lost the contest to Pranab Mukherjee of the Congress.
Purno is the late father of both James and Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma.
Speaking to reporters, Conrad said, “If she (Murmu) is elected to the post of President, there will be a huge impact on the different issues concerning tribals.”
“As a son (of Purno), it is a great day. It was one of the important issues and agendas that he had taken and he had mentioned that very soon a tribal will become the President of this country. Today we are heading in that direction but we are awaiting the results,” the CM added.
