Shillong: The opposition Congress party has announced Jingjang M. Marak as its candidate for the upcoming byelection to the Gambegre Assembly seat in Meghalaya. This seat became vacant after the incumbent Congress legislator, Saleng Ampang Sangma, won a seat in the Tura Lok Sabha constituency in the 2023 elections.
AICC general secretary KC Venugopal confirmed that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge approved Marak’s nomination. Marak is recognized as a key strategist for Sangma and played a significant role in defeating veteran MP and NPP leader Agatha Sangma in the Tura parliamentary race.
“While our political rivals may view Jingjang as inexperienced, they know he will be a formidable opponent. He has stood by Saleng in nearly every election,” a Congress leader remarked, emphasizing the party’s commitment to winning the Gambegre seat.
The ruling National People’s Party (NPP) has already announced Dr. Mehtab Chandee A. Sangma, the wife of Chief Minister Conrad Kongkal Sangma, as its candidate. Meanwhile, the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) has nominated Sadhiarani Sangma, a member of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council and sister-in-law of former Chief Minister Dr. Mukul Sangma.
The Meghalaya BJP has also expressed interest in contesting the bypoll and has reportedly recommended Bernard N. Marak, a GHADC member, though the central leadership has yet to confirm his candidacy.
It remains uncertain whether NPP’s regional allies, the United Democratic Party and Garo National Council, will field candidates or support the Chief Minister’s wife. Saleng Sangma represented the Gambegre constituency since 2013, having first been elected in 2008 from the former Dalamgiri Assembly seat. He shifted to Gambegre after the delimitation of constituencies and won re-election continuously until 2023.