Shillong, Nov 24 The National People's Party (NPP), which is in power in matrilineal Meghalaya, has chosen to field two women from the state's two seats in next year's Lok Sabha elections.
State Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh will contest from the Shillong Lok Sabha seat, while Agatha Sangma, the current MP, will be the NPP candidate for the Tura seat, NPP state chief and Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong announced on Friday, adding that Chief Minister and party chief Conrad K. Sangma approved the candidates.
"Every seat has five to six candidates. Following an evaluation of all the factors up to the polling place, the party's election committee endorsed the names of the two candidates," Tynsong said.
Agatha Sangma is the daughter of former Lok Sabha Speaker P.A. Sangma and sister of Conrad Sangma. Since 1991, the Tura Lok Sabha constituency has been held by the Sangma family.
On the other hand, prior to shifting her allegiance to the NPP in December last year, Lyngdoh rose through the ranks of the Congress in Meghalaya. She was inducted into the government following her victory in the Assembly elections earlier this year from her favored East Shillong constituency.
Vincent H. Pala, the state chief of Congress, presently holds the Shillong parliamentary seat.
Lyngdoh conveyed her gratitude to the NPP for choosing her. "I am delighted to accept this application. Although I wasn't ready for this offer, I will accept the challenge," she said on Friday.
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