Voting for by-election to the Tura Lok Sabha constituency in Meghalaya began on Monday amid tight security, an official said. The BJP and other Meghalaya-based regional political parties - the United Democratic Party, Garo National Council, Hill State People’s Democratic Party are supporting the NPP candidate. The by-election was necessitated following the demise of former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno A Sangma on March 4. Men and women in large numbers queued up in front of polling stations well before voting opened at 7 am. Sangma’s youngest son Conrad K Sangma is contesting the by-election as National People’s Party’s (NPP)main candidate in a straight fight against Congress entrant Dikkanchi D Shira, wife of chief minister Mukul Sangma.

Source: Hindustan Times May 15, 2016 21:41 UTC