SHILLONG, Dec 16 - Congress candidate and Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh�s son, Nathanial Osbert Rymmai lost the district council bye-elections, results of which were declared today.
In the bypoll to seven seats, six for Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and one Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC), most of the major political parties managed to retain their seats.
Congress, United Democratic Party (UDP), Hill State People�s Democratic Party (HSPDP) and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) kept their seats intact. All but one BJP candidate, fielded in all seven seats, forfeited their security deposits.
Congress won two seats, one each in KHADC and JHADC, UDP and HSPDP won two seats each in KHADC and one seat was won by NCP.
However, Congress got the biggest setback. Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh� son and Congress candidate Nathanial was defeated in Nongspung-Sohiong constituency.
He was defeated by Samlin Malngiang (HSPDP) by a margin of 1,191 votes. Close confidante of HSPDP chief, Ardent Basaiawmoit and local MLA of Nongkrem constituency, Hubert Ford Riang came a distant third and the result is a setback for HSPDP.
Nongkrem seat was won by former KHADC chief Hispreaching Son Shylla (UDP) who defeated his closest Congress rival Lamborsing Nongrum by 1,899 votes.
Congress won Rambrai-Jyrngam constituency in West Khasi Hills district where its candidate Kimfa Sidney Marbaniang won by over 3,000 votes defeating his nearest HSPDP rival, S World Champion.
Congress also won the lone JHADC War East constituency where former chief of the Council, Lamdibok Sumer won by a narrow margin of 177 votes defeating an Independent, Losingh Lakuna.
In Laban-Mawprem seat, NCP president and former Meghalaya Assembly Deputy Speaker Sanbor Shullai�s nephew Ricky Shullai won on an NCP ticket and thus retained the seat for the party.
In Pariong-Mawthadraishan constituency, HSPDP candidate Blandingstar Warjri defeated UDP candidate, Jambor War by a huge margin of
2,196 votes.
On the other hand, UDP candidate Equator L Nongrang won Mairang-Nongkhlaw seat by the narrowest margin defeating Congress candidate Lambok Nongrang by only 70 votes. Equator secured 9,696 votes while Lambok secured 9,626 votes.
The bye-election was held after seven MLAs resigned as Members of KHADC and JHADC following the Government passing a legislation barring MLAs from holding dual post of an MDC.
The seven MLAs who resigned included HDR Lyngdoh (Cong), Sanbor Shullai (NCP), Ardent M Basaiawmoit (HSPDP), KP Pangniang (HSPDP), Metbah Lyngdoh (UDP), Brolding Nongsiej (UDP) and Stephanson Mukhim (Independent-Associate Cong member).