Meghalaya's Conrad Sangma on results: ‘NPP still short of numbers, will decide…’

Meghalaya Election Result 2023: Conrad K Sangma had held a meeting with his Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma in Guwahati after exit polls predicted a hung assembly in Meghalaya.

Meghalaya chief minister and National People's Party (NPP) leader Conrad K Sangma said the party was still short of a few seats for the majority in the assembly election, the results which were being declared on Thursday, and will wait for the final results before deciding on the way forward.

Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K Sangma.(PTI file)

Speculation was rife after Sangma had held a meeting with his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma in Guwahati after exit polls predicted a hung assembly in Meghalaya.

The NPP has won five seats and was leading in 20 other constituencies as the counting of votes polled for the February 27 voting was underway.

“I thank the people of our state for having voted for our party. We are grateful to them. We are still short of the numbers and are waiting for the final results, after which we will decide on the way forward,” the CM, who was leading by 2,830 votes in South Tura seat, said.

United Democratic Party candidates won two seats, while its nominees were leading in eight other constituencies.

The Bharatiya Janata Party was leading in three seats, while the Trinamool Congress and the Congress won one constituency each, and were ahead in four other constituencies each.