Hung assembly in Meghalaya

Meghalaya threw up a hung Assembly yesterday with the ruling Congress emerging as the single largest party after winning 21 seats out the 59 that went to polls last month.

The National People's Party (NPP) was at the second position with 19 seats, according the results. The BJP, which contested 47 seats, could win only two.

Polling for 59 Assembly seats, out of a total of 60, was held on February 27.

To form government in Meghalaya at the present juncture, a party or coalition requires a minimum of 30 seats.

The Congress had no pre-poll arrangement with any party.

The BJP, which made a serious bid to dethrone the 10-year-old Mukul Sangma government, also had no seat-sharing arrangement with any party.

However, the NPP is an ally of the saffron party at the Centre and in Manipur.

All eyes are now on the regional parties and independent candidates.

The United Democratic Party (UDP) has won six seats followed by the People's Democratic Front (PDF) with four and the Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP)with two. The Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement and the Nationalist Congress Party won one seat each.

The UDF and the HSPDP have a pre-polls alliance. Independent candidates won three seats.

The Congress has rushed two senior leaders Ahmed Patel and Kamal Nath to the state to explore the possibility of forming the government.

The Congress' move comes in the wake of criticism in the past that the party was caught 'napping' in Goa and Manipur, where despite emerging as the single largest party it failed to form governments there.

After the Assembly elections last year threw hung verdicts in Manipur and Goa, the BJP formed governments there with the help of smaller parties and independent candidates.

Meghalaya is one of the five states where the Congress has been ruling. The other states where the party is in power, are Punjab, Karnataka, Mizoram and Puducherry.