Guwahati, May 25
Twenty eight-year-old Agatha K. Sangma of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) won the Tura parliamentary bypoll defeating her nearest Congress rival Zenith Sangma by a margin of 99,855 votes. The result of the election, which held on May 22, was declared today.
The Tura Lok Sabha seat in Meghalaya was vacant after Agatha’s father and former Lok Sabha speaker Purno A. Sangma resigned following his election to the Meghalaya Assembly two months ago.
Agatha was a consensus candidate of the ruling Meghalaya Progressive Alliance comprising five parties - the United Democratic Party, NCP, Hill State People’s Democratic Party, Khun Hynnewtrap National Awakening Movement and the BJP.
Of the total 310,091 votes polled, Agatha bagged 181,760 while her nearest Congress rival got 81,905 votes. Agatha, a Delhi High Court lawyer, will be one of the youngest members of Parliament. She happens to be third Sangma siblings to enter active politics. Two of her elder brothers were legislators in Meghalaya. One is holding several key Cabinet portfolios.
