Meghalaya, Nagaland on to polls

Battle lines have been drawn for Saturday's poll to the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly and the same for Nagaland with heavy deployment of central paramilitary forces to maintain law and order. 

In Meghalaya, prominent candidates are the Chief Minister, Home Minister H D R Lyngdoh, Education minister R C Laloo, Congress president Lapang, UDP president Don Kupar Roy, former Leader of Opposition and son of P A Sangma Conrad K Sangma and his brother James Sangma.

The Congress has put up candidates in all 60 seats, and ally United Democratic Party in 50.

Of the 15 parties in the fray, the P A Sangma-led National Peoples Party is contesting in 32 seats, the NCP in 21 and the BJP in 13. Among the candidates are 25 women.

Of the 2,845 polling stations, 900 have been declared 'hyper-sensitive'.

Booths along the international border and the interstate border with Assam have also been categorised as 'hyper-sensitive'.

The BSF, which has been put on maximum alert along the 498-km border, has deployed 10,000 personnel.

Ninety-one companies of central paramilitary forces have been deployed in the state to maintain law and order and 44 companies in the militant-hit Garo Hills region.

188 in fray in Nagaland assembly elections

Nagaland goes to the polls on Saturday to elect 60 members to the 12th Assembly from among 188 candidates with 11.93 lakh electorate.

Prominent candidates whose fate will be decided are Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio from Northern Angami II, Speaker Kiyanilie Peseyie from Western Angami, Opposition Leader Tokheho Yepthomi from Dimapur III, Congress president SI Jamir from Dimapur II and former Home Minister Imkong L Imchen from Koridang.

There are 39 Independents and two women among the contestants. Of the two women nominees, Rakhila has been fielded by the BJP from Tuensang Sadar-II and Dr Yangerla, an Independent is contesting from Mokokchung Town.

The ruling Naga People's Front is the only party contesting all the 60 seats. The opposition Congress is contesting 57 seats, followed by NCP in 15, BJP in 11, JD-U in three, RJD in two and the United Nagaland Democratic Party in one.

Of the 2023 polling stations, 821 have been identified as sensitive and 662 as hyper sensitive.

In the outgoing 11th Nagaland Assembly, the ruling NPF had 35 members and the support of six Independents, while Congress had 18 members backed by an Independent.

Altogether 255 companies of central paramilitary forces have been deployed in the state for the elections.

Counting will be held on 28^th February.