UDP's Balajied Kupar Synrem, son of ex-Speaker, wins Shella

SHILLONG: United Democratic Party (UDP) candidate Balajied Kupar Synrem, son of late Donkupar Roy, won the Shella assembly byelections with a huge margin on Thursday. With 12,002 votes, Balajied trounced his nearest rival Grace Mary Kharpuri, an Independent candidate, by 6,221 votes.
While Kharpuri received 5,781 votes, People's Democratic Front's (PDF) candidate Mosjo Rock K Wanswett secured 4,327 votes in the bypolls to the seat that witnessed a very high turnout of 84.56%.
There were six rounds of counting, including manual counting of VVPATS, which began at 8am at SDO, Sohra.
The Shella assembly seat, which is close to the India-Bangladesh border, fell vacant following the death of sitting MLA and former chief minister and later speaker, Donkupar Roy on July 28 this year.
Braving heavy rain, UDP supporters turned up in large numbers and hoisted the party flags in various parts of the city, celebrating the victory of Balajied Kupar Synrem. Roy had won the Shella assembly seat for a record seven consecutive terms and the UDP had fielded his son in an attempt to retain the seat.
Conrad Sangma, who is also the president of the National People's Party (NPP), which heads the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA), greeted Balajied on his victory. The CM had extensively campaigned for Balajied of the UDP -the biggest constituent in the MDA after the NPP.
"I will fulfill my father's dreams and work for the betterment of the people of my constituency," Balajied said after the results were declared, dedicating his victory to his father. Balajied has won the byelection by a record margin, superseding even his father's records. With the win from the Shella assembly seat, the strength of the ruling MDA went up to 41 in the 60-member state legislative assembly, in which the opposition Congress occupies 19 seats.