Campaign ends for two Lok Sabha seats in Meghalaya

Shillong, Apr 17 (PTI) Campaign ended on Wednesday for the two Lok Sabha seats in Meghalaya that will go to the polls in the first phase on April 19.
    NPP's Agatha K Sangma is seeking to retain the Tura seat, while state Congress president Vincent H Pala is seeking re-election for a fourth consecutive term from the Shillong constituency.
    "The campaign ended without any major law and order issues. The poll machinery is prepared to conduct free, fair and peaceful elections," Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) BDR Tiwari told PTI.
    The polling will take place in 3,512 booths, of which 400 have been identified as sensitive and 25 as vulnerable. A total of 22.67 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise, he said.
    Forty companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) have been deployed to ensure free and fair elections, he added.
    In Tura, the Congress has fielded its MLA Saleng Sangma and the TMC has nominated Zenith Sangma, besides NPP's Agatha Sangma.
    In Shillong, Pala is pitted against Ricky AJ Syngkon of the Voice of the People's Party (VPP), Robertjune Kharjahrin of the United Democratic Party (UDP) and NPP's Ampareen Lyngdoh.
    The BJP, which has two MLAs in the state, is backing the NPP candidates.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)