Meghalaya council polls: NPP works out post-poll tie-up with MDA allies

Shillong: A day after the results of the elections to the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and Jaintia Hills Autonomous District (JHADC) were announced, ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) partners are all set to take control of both bodies.
While the MDA partners did not forge any pre-poll alliance, they have entered an understanding now in each council. In the KHADC, all constituents of MDA have decided to come together and form the executive committee. “UDP and HSPDP will form the executive committee in the KHADC with NPP,” a UDP functionary said.

While Congress got the highest number of seats in the KHADC election, 10, the MDA allies can clinch majority. NPP got seven seats, UDP six and HSPDP two — a total of 15 seats out of 29 elected ones.

In the JHADC as well, the ruling MDA allies will form the executive committee. “NPP, which has emerged as the bigger partner, will bag the post of the chief executive member and a UDP member will be deputy chief executive member,” UDP president and assembly speaker Donkupar Roy said.

NPP, which won 12 seats, and UDP, which won 10, have comfortably sailed past the majority mark. HSDPD did not win any seat in the JHADC. Congress won four.

Though the district council elections are fought mostly on issues of local relevance, the results this time are thought to be an indicator of the mood of the voters ahead of the general elections.