Shillong, August 27: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Monday won the South Tura Assembly seat, from where he was contesting as the ruling National People's Party (NPP) candidate. The counting of votes for the two seats in Meghalaya- South Tura and Ranikor began on Monday at 8 AM. Security arrangements have been beefed up across the state in wake of the counting, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) FR Kharkongor informed.

For the Ranikor seat, Former Congress MLA Martin M Danggo, who resigned from the Assembly, is the ruling NPP candidate. The by-elections for the two seats - South Tura and Ranikor was held on August 23. The voter turnout took a marginal dip from the February 27 assembly elections. South Tura seat recorded a voter turnout of 72.89% against 73.59% in February while Ranikor, recorded a voter turnout of 85.89% this time against 89.5% in February.

The South Tura assembly seat in Meghalaya has 30,231 voters including  14,846 males and 15,351 females, 33 service voters and one NRI, Conrad K Sangma and two independents- former legislator John Leslee Sangma and Chris Kabul A Sangma.

Soon after the counting of votes began on Monday, Sangma was leading over his nearest rival and Congress candidate Charlotte W Momin by over 5800 votes after first two rounds, the CEO said. Reports informed that in the Ranikor seat, the United Democratic Party candidate P Marwein is leading by over 1000 votes against his nearest rival Danggo of the NPP after first two rounds of counting.

In the 60-member Meghalaya assembly, the NPP leads a coalition government with 19 MLAs. The party has the support from seven UDP MLAs, four PDF MLAs, two Independents, two MLAs each of the BJP and the HSPDP.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 27, 2018 11:09 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).