The much awaited Assembly by-election in Gambegre constituency will be held on November 13 and the votes will be counted on November 23.
The Election Commission today announced by-elections to 48 Assembly Constituencies and two parliamentary constituencies in 15 states.
Chief Electoral Officer, B D R Tiwari today informed that the model code of conduct has come into force in the entire West Garo Hills from today after the announcement of the election date.
Gambegre seat fell vacant after the resignation of sitting Congress MLA Saleng A. Sangma on June 10 following his election as Lok Sabha MP from the Tura parliamentary seat.
The notification for the election will be issued on October 18 following which candidates can start filling their nomination. The last date for filling the nomination is October 25. The scrutiny of nominations will be held on October 28 and the last date of withdrawal of candidature is October 30.
Gambegre has a total of 32,254 voters. These include 16,331 male voters and 15,923 female voters.
According to State election officials, there are three service voters, 993 young voters, 64 senior citizen voters and 100 voters with physical disabilities.
It may be mentioned that three political parties have so far announced their candidates for the Gambegre by-poll.
While the ruling NPP has nominated Chief Minister Conrad Sangma’s wife Mehtab Chandee Sangma, the opposition Congress has named Jingjang M. Marak as the candidate.
Marak who is a close aide of Tura MP Saleng Sangma is the only applicant for Congress ticket for the by-poll.
Another opposition party, the Trinamool Congress has decided to field Sadhiarani M. Sangma for the contest.
Sadhiarani is the wife of former minister Zenith M. Sangma. She is also a sitting MDC from Dengnakpara constituency.
Sadhiarani had contested from the Gambegre seat twice in the past. In the 2023 Assembly election, she lost to Saleng Sangma by a margin of 2,871 votes.
Meanwhile, the BJP is likely to announce its candidate soon. Party vice president and Tura MDC, Bernard N. Marak, had expressed his keenness to contest the Gambegre by-poll.
