By IANS
Shillong : The ruling Congress party and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) were Friday locked in a neck-and-neck battle for political supremacy in Meghalaya.
The Congress was leading in 18 seats, followed by the NCP in 11 seats and the regional United Democratic Party (UDP) in 10 seats, while smaller parties and independents were leading in eight seats, according to latest trends available.
Former Lok Sabha speaker Purno Agitok Sangma was leading from the Tura assembly seat, while Chief Minister D.D. Lapang was also leading by a huge margin.
In Meghalaya, over 75 percent of the 1.2 million electorate cast their ballots March 3 to decide the electoral fortune of 331 candidates representing 13 political parties and 73 independent candidates.
Polling in the Bagmara constituency was countermanded following the death of a candidate. The counting of votes Friday would determine the fate of six former chief ministers – Sangma, Lapang, Salseng C. Marak, E.K. Mawlong, F.A. Khonglam and J.D. Rymbai.
While the Congress is contesting all 60 seats, the UDP has put up candidates in 52 seats and the NCP in 50.