'Give Change A Chance': Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge Urges Voters In Meghalaya, Nagaland

Election 2023: Polling for Assembly polls is underway in Meghalaya and Nagaland, northeastern states the BJP rules in alliance with regional powers. Voting is being held in fifty-nine seats in each state.

New Delhi: Amid the ongoing polling in the Northeast states of Meghalaya and Nagaland, Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday appealed to voters of the two states to give "change a chance". Kharge said the people of the two Northeast states were looking towards progressive and welfare-oriented governments. In a tweet, Kharge said, "Welcome our first-time voters to participate in this democratic process for a better future. Urge our sisters and brothers of Meghalaya and Nagaland to give change a chance".

People of Meghalaya and Nagaland are looking towards progressive, welfare-oriented governments.

Welcome our first time voters to participate in this democratic process for a better future.

Urge our sisters and brothers of Meghalaya and Nagaland to give change a chance. — Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) February 27, 2023

Voting to elect a new government in the single-phased Nagaland Assembly polls began in 59 constituencies at 7 AM on Monday. The electoral fates of 183 candidates across parties will be sealed as polling ends at 4 PM on Monday. People were seen thronging the polling stations to cast their votes on Monday morning. The state had recorded nearly 75 per cent voter turnout in the 2018 Assembly polls and a whopping 90.57 per cent in 2013.

During the high-decibel election campaign that ended on Saturday, all the contesting parties made a last-ditch effort to win over the voters in a bid to swing their mandate in their favour. Many top BJP leaders, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah canvassed for party candidates during the last leg of the campaigning.

The BJP is contesting in alliance with the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), which it partnered with in the 2018 Assembly polls as well. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also addressed an election rally in Dimapur while MP Shashi Tharoor addressed a rally in Kohima. The Congress has also hinted at a post-poll alliance if required. There are a total of 13,17,632 electorate in Nagaland, of which 6,61,489 are men and 6,56,143 are women.

Both Nagaland and Meghalaya have 60 seats each in the state Assemblies. Voting is being held in fifty-nine seats in each state. In Meghalaya, polling in the Sohiong seat was deferred after the death of a candidate. Nagaland's Akuluto has already got a BJP legislator after his Congress rival withdrew from the contest.  

Meghalaya will witness a multi-cornered contest, where besides the Congress, BJP and Conrad Sangma's NPP (National People's Party), and Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress are in the fray. The opposition Congress and the Naga People's Front are contesting on 23 and 22 seats. Congress has said it can opt for a post-poll alliance if needed. 

Polling will not be held in the Sohiong Assembly Constituency in the East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya, following the death of United Democratic Party (UDP) candidate, H. Donkupar Roy Lyngdoh. In Nagaland, BJP candidate Kazheto Kinimi was re-elected unopposed from the Akuluto Assembly constituency after his only opponent and Congress nominee Khekashe Sumi withdrew his candidature.

A total of 2,351 polling stations have been put together in the state. According to the Election Commission, 305 companies from central paramilitary forces have been deployed across polling stations in both states to ensure the smooth conduct of the polling process. 

The counting of votes will take place on March 2.