Polling in assembly elections in two key Northeastern states&mdash;Nagaland and Meghalaya&mdash;took place on Tuesday with both states recording voter turnouts of 75%, the Election Commission (EC) said.&nbsp;

With Tuesday&rsquo;s elections, the polling process for all the three North-eastern states&mdash;Tripura, which went to the polls earlier this month, is the third&mdash;is complete.&nbsp;

The election results will be announced on 3 March.

In the 2013 assembly elections, Meghalaya recorded a voter turnout of 86.82% and Nagaland 90.19%.

In Nagaland, Polling was held in 59 out of the total 60 constituencies as Neiphiu Rio, the three-time former chief minister and Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party candidate was elected unopposed to Northern Angami-II seat.&nbsp;

Rio&#39;s party has an alliance with the BJP, which snapped ties with its long-standing ally the Naga People&#39;s Front.

Sinha said voting could not be held at Ladigarh polling station in Tamlu constituency in Longleng district along the Nagaland-Assam border due to the tension there.&nbsp;

Voting could not be held also at a polling station at Suthotsdu village in Meluri sub-division of Phek district as a mob forcibly entered and damaged an EVM.

In Tizit constituency, a group of people snatched EVMs and the VVPAT machine at a polling booth. The EVM was retrieved but the VVPAT has still not been found, he added.

Of the 195 candidates in fray in Nagaland, NPF has fielded 58, Congress 18, BJP 20, NDPP 39, NPP 25, NCP 6, JD(U) 13, AAP 3, LJP 2 and 11 Independents. Five women candidates also contested.

Meghalaya CEO F R Kharkongor said polling in 59 out of the 60 constituencies was by and large peaceful and the election office is awaiting data from remote places in the Garo and East Jaintia Hills districts.

Polling was countermanded in the Williamnagar constituency in the state due to the killing of NCP candidate Jonathon N Sangma on February 18.

He said polling had to be stopped in one booth of Raliang constituency in West Jaintia Hills district due to EVM-related problems. In two polling stations in South Garo Hills and South West Garo Hills districts, officials forgot to delete the mock poll data from the machines.

The ruling Congress, which had won 29 seats in the 2013 elections, is facing the challenge from a buoyant BJP after the latter&#39;s successes in Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.

The Congress, in power in Meghalaya for the last 10 years, has fielded 59 candidates. The chief minister is contesting from two seats.

Although the BJP drew a blank in 2013, it has put up candidates in 47 seats, including four MLAs of the current House who joined the party last month.

The United Democratic Party, which has eight members in the outgoing House, and the Hills State People&#39;s Democratic Party with four MLAs forged a pre-poll alliance and are together contesting 45 seats.

The other major parties contesting the polls are the National People&#39;s Party, the Nationalist Congress Party and the People&#39;s Democratic Front, a new entrant.

(With inputs from PTI)

With Tuesday’s elections, the polling process for all the three North-eastern states is complete. The election results will be announced on 3 March

Polling in assembly elections in two key Northeastern states—Nagaland and Meghalaya—took place on Tuesday with both states recording voter turnouts of 75%, the Election Commission (EC) said. With Tuesday’s elections, the polling process for all the three North-eastern states—Tripura, which went to the polls earlier this month, is the third—is complete. The election results will be announced on 3 March. In the 2013 assembly elections, Meghalaya recorded a voter turnout of 86.82% and Nagaland 90.19%. In Nagaland, Polling was held in 59 out of the total 60 constituencies as Neiphiu Rio, the three-time former chief minister and Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party candidate was elected unopposed to Northern Angami-II seat. Rio's party has an alliance with the BJP, which snapped ties with its long-standing ally the Naga People's Front. Sinha said voting could not be held at Ladigarh polling station in Tamlu constituency in Longleng district along the Nagaland-Assam border due to the tension there. Voting could not be held also at a polling station at Suthotsdu village in Meluri sub-division of Phek district as a mob forcibly entered and damaged an EVM. In Tizit constituency, a group of people snatched EVMs and the VVPAT machine at a polling booth. The EVM was retrieved but the VVPAT has still not been found, he added. Of the 195 candidates in fray in Nagaland, NPF has fielded 58, Congress 18, BJP 20, NDPP 39, NPP 25, NCP 6, JD(U) 13, AAP 3, LJP 2 and 11 Independents. Five women candidates also contested. Meghalaya CEO F R Kharkongor said polling in 59 out of the 60 constituencies was by and large peaceful and the election office is awaiting data from remote places in the Garo and East Jaintia Hills districts. Polling was countermanded in the Williamnagar constituency in the state due to the killing of NCP candidate Jonathon N Sangma on February 18. He said polling had to be stopped in one booth of Raliang constituency in West Jaintia Hills district due to EVM-related problems. In two polling stations in South Garo Hills and South West Garo Hills districts, officials forgot to delete the mock poll data from the machines. The ruling Congress, which had won 29 seats in the 2013 elections, is facing the challenge from a buoyant BJP after the latter's successes in Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. The Congress, in power in Meghalaya for the last 10 years, has fielded 59 candidates. The chief minister is contesting from two seats. Although the BJP drew a blank in 2013, it has put up candidates in 47 seats, including four MLAs of the current House who joined the party last month. The United Democratic Party, which has eight members in the outgoing House, and the Hills State People's Democratic Party with four MLAs forged a pre-poll alliance and are together contesting 45 seats. The other major parties contesting the polls are the National People's Party, the Nationalist Congress Party and the People's Democratic Front, a new entrant. (With inputs from PTI)

75% voter turnouts recorded in Meghalaya and Nagaland

Two exit polls today predicted that the BJP will dethrone the Left front from power in Tripura.

According to the exit polls, the BJP will also consolidate its position in two other northeastern states of Meghalaya and Nagaland.

JanKiBaat-NewsX has predicted that the BJP-IPFT alliance in Tripura will win 35-45 seats with a vote share of 51 per cent.

While another exit poll by AxisMyIndia predicts 44-50 seats for the BJP-IPFT with a vote share of 49 per cent and others may get 0-3 seats with a vote share of 11 per cent.

The ruling Left front in Tripura is likely to get 14-23 seats with vote share of 45-46 per cent, while AxisMyIndia poll predicted the Left to win 9-15 seats with a vote share of 40 per cent.

The CVoter Exit Poll has predicted a close finish in Tripura, with the CPI-M likely to get 26 to 34 seats with 44.3 per cent vote share, the BJP and its allies 24 to 32 seats with a vote share of 42.8 per cent, while the Congress may win only 0-2 seats with a vote share of 7.2 per cent.

In Meghalaya where the Congress is in power, the JanKiBaat-NewsX exit poll shows that the National People&#39;s Party (NPP) is set to gain with 23-27 seats while the BJP will get 8-12 seats, with vote shares of 39 and 12 per cent respectively. The Congress is predicted to win 13-17 seats with a voteshare of 21 per cent and others are likely to get 2 to 6 seats.

In Nagaland, the BJP-NDPP alliance is likely to storm the ruling NPF bastion as it is predicted to win 27-32 seats with a vote share of 48 per cent, against NPF&#39;s 20-25 seats and a vote share of 42 per cent, according to the JanKiBaat-NewsX exit poll.

The Congress in Nagaland is likely to get 0-2 seats with a vote share of 4.4 per cent and others are likely to get 5-7 seats with a vote share of 5-6 per cent.

In Meghalaya, the CVoter exit poll predicts a close finish, with the Congress likely to get 13-19 seats and the NPP 17 to 23 seats, with vote shares of 36.5 and 29.4 per cent respectively.

The BJP in Meghalaya is likely to get 4-8 seats with a vote share of 16.6 per cent. The UDP-HSPDP likely to bag 8-12 seats and 8.8. Per cent vote share, while others may get 5-9 seats and a vote share of 8.7 per cent, the poll said.

In Nagaland, the exit poll claimed a victory for the NDPP-BJP which is likely to get 25-31 seats with 38.4 per cent vote share and the NPF likely to bag 19-25 seats with a vote share of 27.1 per cent.

The Congress in Nagaland is set to lose a lot with the poll predicting 0-4 seats with a vote share of 19.7 per cent, while others may get 6-10 seats with a vote share of 14.8 per cent, according to CVoter.

Each of the three states has a 60-member assembly and a party would need 31 seats to get a clear majority.

The results for the three states would be out on March 3.

While Tripura went to polls last Sunday last, voting was held in Meghalaya and Nagaland today.&nbsp;

The results for all three states will be out on March 3

Two exit polls today predicted that the BJP will dethrone the Left front from power in Tripura. According to the exit polls, the BJP will also consolidate its position in two other northeastern states of Meghalaya and Nagaland. JanKiBaat-NewsX has predicted that the BJP-IPFT alliance in Tripura will win 35-45 seats with a vote share of 51 per cent. While another exit poll by AxisMyIndia predicts 44-50 seats for the BJP-IPFT with a vote share of 49 per cent and others may get 0-3 seats with a vote share of 11 per cent. The ruling Left front in Tripura is likely to get 14-23 seats with vote share of 45-46 per cent, while AxisMyIndia poll predicted the Left to win 9-15 seats with a vote share of 40 per cent. The CVoter Exit Poll has predicted a close finish in Tripura, with the CPI-M likely to get 26 to 34 seats with 44.3 per cent vote share, the BJP and its allies 24 to 32 seats with a vote share of 42.8 per cent, while the Congress may win only 0-2 seats with a vote share of 7.2 per cent. In Meghalaya where the Congress is in power, the JanKiBaat-NewsX exit poll shows that the National People's Party (NPP) is set to gain with 23-27 seats while the BJP will get 8-12 seats, with vote shares of 39 and 12 per cent respectively. The Congress is predicted to win 13-17 seats with a voteshare of 21 per cent and others are likely to get 2 to 6 seats. In Nagaland, the BJP-NDPP alliance is likely to storm the ruling NPF bastion as it is predicted to win 27-32 seats with a vote share of 48 per cent, against NPF's 20-25 seats and a vote share of 42 per cent, according to the JanKiBaat-NewsX exit poll. The Congress in Nagaland is likely to get 0-2 seats with a vote share of 4.4 per cent and others are likely to get 5-7 seats with a vote share of 5-6 per cent. In Meghalaya, the CVoter exit poll predicts a close finish, with the Congress likely to get 13-19 seats and the NPP 17 to 23 seats, with vote shares of 36.5 and 29.4 per cent respectively. The BJP in Meghalaya is likely to get 4-8 seats with a vote share of 16.6 per cent. The UDP-HSPDP likely to bag 8-12 seats and 8.8. Per cent vote share, while others may get 5-9 seats and a vote share of 8.7 per cent, the poll said. In Nagaland, the exit poll claimed a victory for the NDPP-BJP which is likely to get 25-31 seats with 38.4 per cent vote share and the NPF likely to bag 19-25 seats with a vote share of 27.1 per cent. The Congress in Nagaland is set to lose a lot with the poll predicting 0-4 seats with a vote share of 19.7 per cent, while others may get 6-10 seats with a vote share of 14.8 per cent, according to CVoter. Each of the three states has a 60-member assembly and a party would need 31 seats to get a clear majority. The results for the three states would be out on March 3. While Tripura went to polls last Sunday last, voting was held in Meghalaya and Nagaland today.

Exit polls predict BJP win in Tripura, party to consolidate position in Meghalaya, Nagaland

The voter turnout in Nagaland and Meghalaya till 4 pm was recorded as 75&nbsp;per cent and 67&nbsp;per cent respectively.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
75% &amp; 67% voting turnout recorded respectively in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Nagaland?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Nagaland</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Meghalaya?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Meghalaya</a> assembly polls till 4 pm. Voting continues
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/968460750258716672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Voter turnout till till 1 pm- <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Meghalaya?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Meghalaya</a>: 27.75% ; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Nagaland?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Nagaland</a>: 56%
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/968395930151026688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
38% voter turnout recorded in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Nagaland?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Nagaland</a> and 20% voter turnout recorded in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Meghalaya?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Meghalaya</a> till 11 am.
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/968371463794446337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Voting for the 60-member assemblies is scheduled from 7 am to 4 pm, except in some polling stations of the interior districts of Nagaland, where the process is scheduled to conclude at 3 pm.

While the two states have a 60-member house each, voting will be held only for 59 constituencies in both.

In Meghalaya, the election has been countermanded in Williamnagar in the wake of the killing of an NCP candidate Jonathone N Sangma in an IED blast, while in Nagaland, Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party Chief Neiphiu Rio has been declared elected unopposed from the Northern Angami-II constituency.

A total of 361 candidates are in the fray, while over 18.4 lakh voters can exercise their voting rights. Out of the 3,000 polling booths, webcasting will be done at 193 polling stations, while 312 micro observers have been deployed.

Restrictions on the conduct of any exit poll and publication and dissemination of result of such exit poll have also been imposed till 4:30 pm Wednesday, reports suggest.

The results of the polls in the two states will be declared on Saturday, along with those of Tripura.

Voting for the 60-member assemblies will be held from 7 am till 4 pm, except in some polling stations of the interior districts of Nagaland, where the process is scheduled to conclude at 3 pm

The voter turnout in Nagaland and Meghalaya till 4 pm was recorded as 75 per cent and 67 per cent respectively. 75% & 67% voting turnout recorded respectively in #Nagaland & #Meghalaya assembly polls till 4 pm. Voting continues — ANI (@ANI) February 27, 2018 × Voter turnout till till 1 pm- #Meghalaya: 27.75% ; #Nagaland: 56% — ANI (@ANI) February 27, 2018 × 38% voter turnout recorded in #Nagaland and 20% voter turnout recorded in #Meghalaya till 11 am. — ANI (@ANI) February 27, 2018 × Voting for the 60-member assemblies is scheduled from 7 am to 4 pm, except in some polling stations of the interior districts of Nagaland, where the process is scheduled to conclude at 3 pm. While the two states have a 60-member house each, voting will be held only for 59 constituencies in both. In Meghalaya, the election has been countermanded in Williamnagar in the wake of the killing of an NCP candidate Jonathone N Sangma in an IED blast, while in Nagaland, Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party Chief Neiphiu Rio has been declared elected unopposed from the Northern Angami-II constituency. A total of 361 candidates are in the fray, while over 18.4 lakh voters can exercise their voting rights. Out of the 3,000 polling booths, webcasting will be done at 193 polling stations, while 312 micro observers have been deployed. Restrictions on the conduct of any exit poll and publication and dissemination of result of such exit poll have also been imposed till 4:30 pm Wednesday, reports suggest. The results of the polls in the two states will be declared on Saturday, along with those of Tripura.

Meghalaya elections see 67% voter turnout, Nagaland 75%

A governor of a southern state has been accused of &quot;sexual misconduct&quot;, news reports said Monday.

The reports said the governor had asked women Raj Bhawan employees for sexual favours.

A report of the alleged sexual misconduct has reached the home ministry in Delhi, which has asked police to investigate the matter.&nbsp;

The identity of the governor has not yet been made public. Nor is it confirmed whether the alleged misconduct relates to the governor&#39;s current tenure or his previous one.

The reports added that if the governor were to be found guilty, he will be asked to resign immediately.

The reports added that a number of Raj Bhawan employees have accused the governor of sexual misconduct.

This is not the first complaint of this nature against the governor of an Indian state.&nbsp;

In 2017, the governor of Meghalaya, V Shanmuganathan, was forced to resign over similar complaints. Over a 100 Raj Bhawan employees had asked then president Pranab Mukherjee for&nbsp;Shanmuganathan to be recalled.&nbsp;

The identity of the governor has not been disclosed. The home ministry has asked police to investigate the allegation

A governor of a southern state has been accused of "sexual misconduct", news reports said Monday. The reports said the governor had asked women Raj Bhawan employees for sexual favours. A report of the alleged sexual misconduct has reached the home ministry in Delhi, which has asked police to investigate the matter. The identity of the governor has not yet been made public. Nor is it confirmed whether the alleged misconduct relates to the governor's current tenure or his previous one. The reports added that if the governor were to be found guilty, he will be asked to resign immediately. The reports added that a number of Raj Bhawan employees have accused the governor of sexual misconduct. This is not the first complaint of this nature against the governor of an Indian state. In 2017, the governor of Meghalaya, V Shanmuganathan, was forced to resign over similar complaints. Over a 100 Raj Bhawan employees had asked then president Pranab Mukherjee for Shanmuganathan to be recalled.

Governor of southern state accused of 'sexual misconduct', report reaches home ministry

On February 18 this year, the candidate from Williamnagar Constituency of Garo Hills Meghalaya, Jonathone N Sangma and three of his supporters were killed in an IED blast allegedly triggered by the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA), a militant outfit active in Garo Hills. The GNLA, led by its elusive commander-in-chief Sohan D Shira, has been unleashing a reign of terror in areas where it dominates which are mainly East and South Garo Hills.

Jonathone and some of his supporters had gone to Sawilgre village under Samanda block for an election campaign that Sunday afternoon. He was called there by the villagers who said they wanted to discuss certain issues with him. But perhaps the villagers were used as decoys by the GNLA. The villagers never turned up at that village. Only the chairs and tables were kept there. After waiting for a while,&nbsp;Jonathone decided to return to Williamnagar. Just then the IED blast was triggered and Jonathone and three others died on the spot. They included a young volunteer, a security guard and one more supporter. The other three injured persons were taken to a Williamnagar Civil Hospital but one more had succumbed to his injuries recently.

And then, barely a week after the dreadful incident, on February 24, Sohan D Shira the GNLA supremo who had repeatedly given the slip to the Meghalaya Police, including its Special Force, was shot dead. What raises doubts about this killing is that there were no casualties on the police side or on the side of the rebel outfit. There were no signs of an encounter. It looked like a clean, well-planned operation.

After Jonathone&rsquo;s death, several troubling questions were raised. Posters had been put up in the constituency, asking people not to vote for him. The posters had pictures of blood and bullets, and warned the villagers of serious consequences if they vote for him. But this is not the first time such posters were out up. In 2013, too, Jonathone faced similar threats. He lodged an FIR even then but the case has progressed at snail pace and is lying unsolved at the lower courts.

Since Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has made peace, security and political stability his election plank, Jonathone&rsquo;s political assassination have given a lie to that claim. And then the equally sudden elimination of Sohan D Shira who has evaded arrest for a very long time has raised doubts about the whole chain of events. Following Jonathone&rsquo;s killing, political parties, especially the National People&rsquo;s Party, the main rival of the ruling Congress in Garo Hills, had demanded an independent probe by the National Investigating Agency (NIA).

Was it the fear that the Agency might get to the root of the militant-politician nexus, the reason why Sohan Shira was eliminated because with his death all the well-kept secrets about who his handlers were have died with him. &nbsp;Meanwhile, it is learned that the Deputy Commander of the dreaded ULFA (Independent) based in Myanmar, Drishti Rajkhowa will be taking Sohan Shira&rsquo;s place soon. That should spell more trouble for the land of clouds unless swift action is taken by the next government to be formed post-March 3, next. &nbsp;

Meanwhile, on the election front, Jonathone Sangma&rsquo;s death could make things a bit more difficult for the Congress Party to return to power in Meghalaya. The Party is now seen as being capable of killing a dreaded militant if it wants to and to allow things to simmer if it chooses to. The NPP and BJP (which hitherto had very little leeway in Garo Hills) might both be able to capitalise from this new turn of events.

At last, campaigning for the February 27 elections ended on Saturday 24 last. In Garo Hills, the mood was sombre following the death of Sohan Shira. In the rest of the state, people heaved a sigh of relief, especially students preparing for their respective Board examinations. It has been a raucous election in Meghalaya with political parties and candidate using music to score political points above their rivals. For music composers and singers this has been a very lucrative season.

The BJP commissioned the legendary singer, 70-year-old Lou Majaw, to compose their theme song. Other parties just took off from there. On Saturday there were huge motor rallies which brought traffic in Shillong and its suburbs to a standstill. The amount spent on these rallies and on feeding the candidates daily for a month, and if supporters are to be believed, then even money was actively distributed by candidates on Saturday to ensure they remain loyal, must far exceed the upper limit set by the ECI. But who cares?

Most sitting MLAs use the MLA (Local Area Development Scheme) funds of Rs 2 crore per year to meet their private election expenses. The loopholes are yet to be plugged to prevent siphoning of public money through the Scheme. And so we are all good!

With a heavy sense of despair and futility even as the much touted &ldquo;Change&rdquo; which every political party promises appear like a mirage, the people of Meghalaya goes to vote tomorrow. A total of 370 candidates are in the fray of which 32 are women. The Congress has fielded candidates in 59 seats (election in Williamnagar is countermanded due to the death of Jonathone Sangma, the NCP candidate); the BJP in 47, NPP in 52 seats and the regional parties between them are contesting 42 seats. Most of the faces are tried and tested; hence the pessimism!

This time the prediction is that Meghalaya is headed for a hung assembly with no party getting the absolute majority. The fight really is between the NPP and Congress. That Meghalaya&rsquo;s next government will be a coalition of parties, goes without saying and whether this will result in another period of political chaos is also a moot point.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Jonathone Sangma’s death could make things a bit more difficult for the Congress Party to return to power in Meghalaya.

On February 18 this year, the candidate from Williamnagar Constituency of Garo Hills Meghalaya, Jonathone N Sangma and three of his supporters were killed in an IED blast allegedly triggered by the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA), a militant outfit active in Garo Hills. The GNLA, led by its elusive commander-in-chief Sohan D Shira, has been unleashing a reign of terror in areas where it dominates which are mainly East and South Garo Hills. Jonathone and some of his supporters had gone to Sawilgre village under Samanda block for an election campaign that Sunday afternoon. He was called there by the villagers who said they wanted to discuss certain issues with him. But perhaps the villagers were used as decoys by the GNLA. The villagers never turned up at that village. Only the chairs and tables were kept there. After waiting for a while, Jonathone decided to return to Williamnagar. Just then the IED blast was triggered and Jonathone and three others died on the spot. They included a young volunteer, a security guard and one more supporter. The other three injured persons were taken to a Williamnagar Civil Hospital but one more had succumbed to his injuries recently. And then, barely a week after the dreadful incident, on February 24, Sohan D Shira the GNLA supremo who had repeatedly given the slip to the Meghalaya Police, including its Special Force, was shot dead. What raises doubts about this killing is that there were no casualties on the police side or on the side of the rebel outfit. There were no signs of an encounter. It looked like a clean, well-planned operation. After Jonathone’s death, several troubling questions were raised. Posters had been put up in the constituency, asking people not to vote for him. The posters had pictures of blood and bullets, and warned the villagers of serious consequences if they vote for him. But this is not the first time such posters were out up. In 2013, too, Jonathone faced similar threats. He lodged an FIR even then but the case has progressed at snail pace and is lying unsolved at the lower courts. Since Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has made peace, security and political stability his election plank, Jonathone’s political assassination have given a lie to that claim. And then the equally sudden elimination of Sohan D Shira who has evaded arrest for a very long time has raised doubts about the whole chain of events. Following Jonathone’s killing, political parties, especially the National People’s Party, the main rival of the ruling Congress in Garo Hills, had demanded an independent probe by the National Investigating Agency (NIA). Was it the fear that the Agency might get to the root of the militant-politician nexus, the reason why Sohan Shira was eliminated because with his death all the well-kept secrets about who his handlers were have died with him. Meanwhile, it is learned that the Deputy Commander of the dreaded ULFA (Independent) based in Myanmar, Drishti Rajkhowa will be taking Sohan Shira’s place soon. That should spell more trouble for the land of clouds unless swift action is taken by the next government to be formed post-March 3, next. Meanwhile, on the election front, Jonathone Sangma’s death could make things a bit more difficult for the Congress Party to return to power in Meghalaya. The Party is now seen as being capable of killing a dreaded militant if it wants to and to allow things to simmer if it chooses to. The NPP and BJP (which hitherto had very little leeway in Garo Hills) might both be able to capitalise from this new turn of events. At last, campaigning for the February 27 elections ended on Saturday 24 last. In Garo Hills, the mood was sombre following the death of Sohan Shira. In the rest of the state, people heaved a sigh of relief, especially students preparing for their respective Board examinations. It has been a raucous election in Meghalaya with political parties and candidate using music to score political points above their rivals. For music composers and singers this has been a very lucrative season. The BJP commissioned the legendary singer, 70-year-old Lou Majaw, to compose their theme song. Other parties just took off from there. On Saturday there were huge motor rallies which brought traffic in Shillong and its suburbs to a standstill. The amount spent on these rallies and on feeding the candidates daily for a month, and if supporters are to be believed, then even money was actively distributed by candidates on Saturday to ensure they remain loyal, must far exceed the upper limit set by the ECI. But who cares? Most sitting MLAs use the MLA (Local Area Development Scheme) funds of Rs 2 crore per year to meet their private election expenses. The loopholes are yet to be plugged to prevent siphoning of public money through the Scheme. And so we are all good! With a heavy sense of despair and futility even as the much touted “Change” which every political party promises appear like a mirage, the people of Meghalaya goes to vote tomorrow. A total of 370 candidates are in the fray of which 32 are women. The Congress has fielded candidates in 59 seats (election in Williamnagar is countermanded due to the death of Jonathone Sangma, the NCP candidate); the BJP in 47, NPP in 52 seats and the regional parties between them are contesting 42 seats. Most of the faces are tried and tested; hence the pessimism! This time the prediction is that Meghalaya is headed for a hung assembly with no party getting the absolute majority. The fight really is between the NPP and Congress. That Meghalaya’s next government will be a coalition of parties, goes without saying and whether this will result in another period of political chaos is also a moot point. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Will BJP be able to capitalise on Jonathone Sangma's death in Meghalaya?

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/ncert-syllabus-to-be-half-from-2019-session-announces-hrd-minister-javadekar-33927">NCERT syllabus to be half from 2019 session, announces HRD Minister Javadekar</a>

Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Prakash Javadekar on Saturday announced to reduce the NCERT syllabus by almost half from the 2019 academic session. The decision was taken in a bid to provide relief to school students, who complained of existing vast syllabus.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/daman-diu-pm-modi-launches-rs-1000-crore-projects-flags-off-air-service-between-diu-to-ahmedabad-33921">PM Modi launches Rs 1,000 crore projects in Daman and Diu</a>

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday arrived in Daman to launch several development projects worth Rs 1,000 crore in the Union Territory of Daman and Diu. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday arrived in Daman to launch several development projects worth Rs 1,000 crore in the Union Territory of Daman and Diu.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/letter-written-to-gain-clarity-on-the-situation-mehul-choksis-lawyer-33922">MEA revokes Mehul Choksi, Nirav Modi&#39;s passports</a>

On Saturday, passports of both Mehul Choksi and Nirav Modi have been revoked by the MEA upon failing to respond after cause notice was given. PNB CMD Sunil Mehta and Executive Director KV Bramhaji Rao have also been called for questioning by the CBI on Saturday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-diamond-exporter-booked-for-rs-389-crore-obc-loan-fraud-33878">After Nirav Modi, Delhi-based diamond exporter booked for Rs 389-cr OBC loan fraud</a>

After Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi, the CBI has registered a case against a Delhi-based diamond jewellery exporter for an alleged bank loan fraud to the tune of Rs 389.85 crore towards Oriental Bank of Commerce. The CBI has booked Dwarka Das Seth International Pvt Ltd for the alleged fraud.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/meghalayas-most-wanted-terrorist-shot-dead-in-police-encounter-33917">Meghalaya&#39;s most wanted terrorist shot dead in police encounter</a>

Meghalaya Police&rsquo;s most wanted Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) Commander-in-Chief Sohan D Shira has been killed in an encounter in a joint operation by the state police team and Meghalaya&#39;s Special Force-10 commandos Saturday morning in Dobu Agalgre village in the East Garo Hills. 
&nbsp;

NCERT syllabus to be half from 2019 session, announces HRD Minister Javadekar Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Prakash Javadekar on Saturday announced to reduce the NCERT syllabus by almost half from the 2019 academic session. The decision was taken in a bid to provide relief to school students, who complained of existing vast syllabus. PM Modi launches Rs 1,000 crore projects in Daman and Diu Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday arrived in Daman to launch several development projects worth Rs 1,000 crore in the Union Territory of Daman and Diu. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday arrived in Daman to launch several development projects worth Rs 1,000 crore in the Union Territory of Daman and Diu. MEA revokes Mehul Choksi, Nirav Modi's passports On Saturday, passports of both Mehul Choksi and Nirav Modi have been revoked by the MEA upon failing to respond after cause notice was given. PNB CMD Sunil Mehta and Executive Director KV Bramhaji Rao have also been called for questioning by the CBI on Saturday. After Nirav Modi, Delhi-based diamond exporter booked for Rs 389-cr OBC loan fraud After Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi, the CBI has registered a case against a Delhi-based diamond jewellery exporter for an alleged bank loan fraud to the tune of Rs 389.85 crore towards Oriental Bank of Commerce. The CBI has booked Dwarka Das Seth International Pvt Ltd for the alleged fraud. Meghalaya's most wanted terrorist shot dead in police encounter Meghalaya Police’s most wanted Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) Commander-in-Chief Sohan D Shira has been killed in an encounter in a joint operation by the state police team and Meghalaya's Special Force-10 commandos Saturday morning in Dobu Agalgre village in the East Garo Hills.

WION Evening News brief, February 24, 2018

In normal circumstances, neither the Congress nor the Bharatiya Janata Party would fret much over the electoral outcome of a small state such as Meghalaya. Both have larger national goals to achieve, and an assembly election in this northeastern state, which contributes just two seats to the Lok Sabha, should be no big deal for either of the national parties. But these are not normal circumstances. They are so far from normal that the parties&rsquo; tallest leaders, Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi, have addressed public rallies there and aggressively wooed the voters.

What makes the situation so important?&nbsp;

For the Congress, Meghalaya represents one of the very few states in the country that it still rules. A loss here would be a double body blow. First, it would concede yet another state to the BJP. Second, it would embolden the BJP to pursue its political dominance in a region where until a couple of years ago, it was on the margins. The Congress has already lost vast ground across the country to the BJP, and while it is hoping to recoup in the coming State elections in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan &mdash; and retain Karnataka &mdash; that possibility remains in the realm of speculation for now.&nbsp;

The party has been reduced to such a state that even small wins in small states are to seized upon with glee. It has already lost Assam, where the BJP handed over a drubbing in the last assembly election. The Congress had failed to form governments in both Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. It has little prospect of doing well in Tripura, where voting has already taken place. Meghalaya, then, is its only hope in the North-East.&nbsp;

As far as the BJP is concerned, the battle for Meghalaya is an opportunity for the party to expand its footprints even more dramatically in the region. If it wins, it will have hit two birds with one stone: snatching yet another state from the Congress, and reinforcing its ambitious plans for the North-East through its special purpose political vehicle, the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) which it heads.&nbsp;

The BJP does not have smooth sailing, though. The challenges are many, but the foremost is the demographic profile of the State. Meghalaya may derive its name from Sanskrit, meaning the &lsquo;abode of clouds&rsquo;, but this is not going to come to the party&rsquo;s aid. Instead, the religious composition can cloud the BJP&rsquo;s chances in the state.

More than 80 per cent of the population is Christian, and the religious affiliation is spread across the most predominant Khasi and Garo communities. The Hindu faith is the major one among minor tribes such as the Hajong and the Koch. Christians are not known to be the most ardent admirers of the BJP anywhere in the country, and it remains to be seen if the voters of this faith go against the currently prevalent trend elsewhere in the country.

BJP leaders, both at the national and state levels, believe they can reverse the situation in Meghalaya through appeals in favour of development and against parochial considerations. They also feel that the sting can be later managed through post-poll understandings with regional parties which are not just more rooted to the socio-cultural ethos of the state but also command a significant amount of loyalty among the Christian community. For instance, while the National People&rsquo;s Party (NPP), founded by the late PA Sangma, is contesting on its own, the possibility of its aligning with the BJP after the election in government formation, cannot be ruled out. The NPP is fighting the electoral battle on its own for tactical reasons &mdash; it does not want to alienate the section of its voters that is uncomfortable with the BJP.

Meanwhile, the BJP&rsquo;s cause has been somewhat helped by the migration of leaders in the past months away from the Congress. Besides, the party has kept away from contentious issues like the beef ban, which it belligerently promotes in other parts of the country, and even that of illegal migration with a view to appeasing the non-tribal voters.&nbsp;

The Congress is, on the other hand, banking on the very issue that is a challenge for the BJP &mdash; the demographic composition. It has over the years build a solid support base among the Christians and is not hesitant to exploit it. During one of his recent trips to the state, party president Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of trying to &lsquo;purchase&rsquo; the loyalty of the Church there.&nbsp;

Interestingly, while a good part of the local BJP leadership in Meghalaya has come from other parties, the Congress too established its base in the state in a similar fashion some 40 years ago, when an influential organisation, the All Party Hill Leaders Conference (APHLC), merged lock, stock and barrel, with the national party. The APHLC had spearheaded the formation of Meghalaya as a separate entity. From then on, the Congress had been on a roll, at times tying up with regional outfits to govern.

The 2018 election will, in many ways, be its first real test in many years. Given how the BJP upstaged the Congress in Manipur despite not even being the party with the largest number of seats, the state Congress leadership does not want to take chances with a hung assembly and is going all out to secure a clear majority.

In this regard, there is much at stake for the local leadership led by Chief Minister Mukul Sangma. Not only is he contesting from two constituencies, but his wife too is seeking re-election. Besides, the Chief Minister&rsquo;s brother and the brother&rsquo;s wife too, are contestants. To be fair to the Chief Minister, his is not the only family in the fray; the NPP too is involved in family politics. If all goes well for the Congress, the dynasty issue will not be relevant; if the party fares badly, then he will have to take the rap for brazenly promoting his family.&nbsp;

In the midst of all these calculations, are the real issues of development. Here, while the Congress is on slippery ground, the BJP cannot take it for granted that the promise of inclusive development and growth will necessarily lure voters to its side. Road connectivity in shambles, the primary education system in rural Meghalaya is creaking, basic healthcare in far-flung regions is poor, the power supply is erratic in small towns and villages, agriculture which is the mainstay for a large section of population is in a bad shape, and there is a grave scarcity of potable water. It can be argued that these malaises are not unique to Meghalaya. Even other states, including BJP-ruled ones, suffer similarly. The question is: Will voters buy the reasoning?&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

BJP leaders believe they can reverse the situation in Meghalaya through appeals in favour of development and against parochial considerations.

In normal circumstances, neither the Congress nor the Bharatiya Janata Party would fret much over the electoral outcome of a small state such as Meghalaya. Both have larger national goals to achieve, and an assembly election in this northeastern state, which contributes just two seats to the Lok Sabha, should be no big deal for either of the national parties. But these are not normal circumstances. They are so far from normal that the parties’ tallest leaders, Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi, have addressed public rallies there and aggressively wooed the voters. What makes the situation so important? For the Congress, Meghalaya represents one of the very few states in the country that it still rules. A loss here would be a double body blow. First, it would concede yet another state to the BJP. Second, it would embolden the BJP to pursue its political dominance in a region where until a couple of years ago, it was on the margins. The Congress has already lost vast ground across the country to the BJP, and while it is hoping to recoup in the coming State elections in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan — and retain Karnataka — that possibility remains in the realm of speculation for now. The party has been reduced to such a state that even small wins in small states are to seized upon with glee. It has already lost Assam, where the BJP handed over a drubbing in the last assembly election. The Congress had failed to form governments in both Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. It has little prospect of doing well in Tripura, where voting has already taken place. Meghalaya, then, is its only hope in the North-East. As far as the BJP is concerned, the battle for Meghalaya is an opportunity for the party to expand its footprints even more dramatically in the region. If it wins, it will have hit two birds with one stone: snatching yet another state from the Congress, and reinforcing its ambitious plans for the North-East through its special purpose political vehicle, the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) which it heads. The BJP does not have smooth sailing, though. The challenges are many, but the foremost is the demographic profile of the State. Meghalaya may derive its name from Sanskrit, meaning the ‘abode of clouds’, but this is not going to come to the party’s aid. Instead, the religious composition can cloud the BJP’s chances in the state. More than 80 per cent of the population is Christian, and the religious affiliation is spread across the most predominant Khasi and Garo communities. The Hindu faith is the major one among minor tribes such as the Hajong and the Koch. Christians are not known to be the most ardent admirers of the BJP anywhere in the country, and it remains to be seen if the voters of this faith go against the currently prevalent trend elsewhere in the country. BJP leaders, both at the national and state levels, believe they can reverse the situation in Meghalaya through appeals in favour of development and against parochial considerations. They also feel that the sting can be later managed through post-poll understandings with regional parties which are not just more rooted to the socio-cultural ethos of the state but also command a significant amount of loyalty among the Christian community. For instance, while the National People’s Party (NPP), founded by the late PA Sangma, is contesting on its own, the possibility of its aligning with the BJP after the election in government formation, cannot be ruled out. The NPP is fighting the electoral battle on its own for tactical reasons — it does not want to alienate the section of its voters that is uncomfortable with the BJP. Meanwhile, the BJP’s cause has been somewhat helped by the migration of leaders in the past months away from the Congress. Besides, the party has kept away from contentious issues like the beef ban, which it belligerently promotes in other parts of the country, and even that of illegal migration with a view to appeasing the non-tribal voters. The Congress is, on the other hand, banking on the very issue that is a challenge for the BJP — the demographic composition. It has over the years build a solid support base among the Christians and is not hesitant to exploit it. During one of his recent trips to the state, party president Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of trying to ‘purchase’ the loyalty of the Church there. Interestingly, while a good part of the local BJP leadership in Meghalaya has come from other parties, the Congress too established its base in the state in a similar fashion some 40 years ago, when an influential organisation, the All Party Hill Leaders Conference (APHLC), merged lock, stock and barrel, with the national party. The APHLC had spearheaded the formation of Meghalaya as a separate entity. From then on, the Congress had been on a roll, at times tying up with regional outfits to govern. The 2018 election will, in many ways, be its first real test in many years. Given how the BJP upstaged the Congress in Manipur despite not even being the party with the largest number of seats, the state Congress leadership does not want to take chances with a hung assembly and is going all out to secure a clear majority. In this regard, there is much at stake for the local leadership led by Chief Minister Mukul Sangma. Not only is he contesting from two constituencies, but his wife too is seeking re-election. Besides, the Chief Minister’s brother and the brother’s wife too, are contestants. To be fair to the Chief Minister, his is not the only family in the fray; the NPP too is involved in family politics. If all goes well for the Congress, the dynasty issue will not be relevant; if the party fares badly, then he will have to take the rap for brazenly promoting his family. In the midst of all these calculations, are the real issues of development. Here, while the Congress is on slippery ground, the BJP cannot take it for granted that the promise of inclusive development and growth will necessarily lure voters to its side. Road connectivity in shambles, the primary education system in rural Meghalaya is creaking, basic healthcare in far-flung regions is poor, the power supply is erratic in small towns and villages, agriculture which is the mainstay for a large section of population is in a bad shape, and there is a grave scarcity of potable water. It can be argued that these malaises are not unique to Meghalaya. Even other states, including BJP-ruled ones, suffer similarly. The question is: Will voters buy the reasoning? (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Will Meghalaya prefer BJP over Congress's Mukul Sangma?

Addressing an election rally in Meghalaya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the people&nbsp;that the state needs a double engine, one from Meghalaya and other from Delhi.&nbsp;

He said, &quot;if both the engines come together, all the work which had been halted for 50 years will begin at once&quot;.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Meghalaya: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a public rally in West Garo Hills district&#39;s Phulbari <a href="https://t.co/pIEuy1tJHf">pic.twitter.com/pIEuy1tJHf</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/966614698182565888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Taking a shot at the Congress government in the state he said &quot;the current government has wasted your 50 years. I urge you to provide us with one opportunity for five years&quot;.

He added that no roads were to be seen in the state even after crore of rupees was released by the Central government.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
What is the reason that even if Crores of rupees are released by Delhi for roads, there are no roads to be seen in Meghalaya?: PM Modi in Phulbari, Meghalaya <a href="https://t.co/CwZPOY938H">pic.twitter.com/CwZPOY938H</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/966640560860573696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

PM Modi said, &quot;Today the world is appreciating India, the reason behind this is not Modi but you, the people&quot;.

The tenure of the current 60-member assembly in the state will end&nbsp;on March 6, while the polls are scheduled for February 27.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

PM Modi said, 'if both the engines come together, all the work which had been halted for 50 years will begin at once'

Addressing an election rally in Meghalaya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the people that the state needs a double engine, one from Meghalaya and other from Delhi. He said, "if both the engines come together, all the work which had been halted for 50 years will begin at once". Meghalaya: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a public rally in West Garo Hills district's Phulbari pic.twitter.com/pIEuy1tJHf — ANI (@ANI) February 22, 2018 × Taking a shot at the Congress government in the state he said "the current government has wasted your 50 years. I urge you to provide us with one opportunity for five years". He added that no roads were to be seen in the state even after crore of rupees was released by the Central government. What is the reason that even if Crores of rupees are released by Delhi for roads, there are no roads to be seen in Meghalaya?: PM Modi in Phulbari, Meghalaya pic.twitter.com/CwZPOY938H — ANI (@ANI) February 22, 2018 × PM Modi said, "Today the world is appreciating India, the reason behind this is not Modi but you, the people". The tenure of the current 60-member assembly in the state will end on March 6, while the polls are scheduled for February 27.

Meghalaya govt has wasted 50 years, says PM Modi

Just a week before Meghalaya goes to polls, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate Jonathone Nengminza Sangma was killed in a terrorist attack on Sunday.

The 43-year-old Sangma was killed along with his two security guards after he was returning from poll campaigning.

He was the NCP candidate from Williamnagar constituency in East Garo Hills district in Meghalaya.

Jonathone had contested from the same seat in 2013 as an independent candidate.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Deeply saddened to hear about the unexpected loss of Jonathone N Sangma. My heartfelt condolences to his near and dear ones. The blood of innocents spilled by the enemies of the State will not disturb the peace in Meghalaya.
&mdash; Mukul Sangma (@mukulsangma) <a href="https://twitter.com/mukulsangma/status/965269140847190016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
This desperate act will not be tolerated. The perpetrators of the crime will be apprehended expeditiously and brought to book.
&mdash; Mukul Sangma (@mukulsangma) <a href="https://twitter.com/mukulsangma/status/965269194475532288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

As per media reports, Garo National Liberation Army, a rebel outfit fighting for a sovereign Garoland, had put up posters in Williamnagar threatening voters with dire consequences if they vote Sangma

It is learnt that Sangma had been facing similar threats since 2013 and he had even faced attacks by unknown miscreants earlier.&nbsp;

During the last state election in 2013, he had filed a case against Congress leader Deborah C Marak for instigating militants of the Garo National Liberation Army against him during the elections.

Deborah had won the seat in 2013 securing 8,402 votes while Jonathone had come second with 5,525 votes.

Meghalaya goes to polls on 27 February. 
&nbsp;

Jonathone Sangma's two security guards were also killed in the attack

Just a week before Meghalaya goes to polls, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate Jonathone Nengminza Sangma was killed in a terrorist attack on Sunday. The 43-year-old Sangma was killed along with his two security guards after he was returning from poll campaigning. He was the NCP candidate from Williamnagar constituency in East Garo Hills district in Meghalaya. Jonathone had contested from the same seat in 2013 as an independent candidate. Deeply saddened to hear about the unexpected loss of Jonathone N Sangma. My heartfelt condolences to his near and dear ones. The blood of innocents spilled by the enemies of the State will not disturb the peace in Meghalaya. — Mukul Sangma (@mukulsangma) February 18, 2018 × This desperate act will not be tolerated. The perpetrators of the crime will be apprehended expeditiously and brought to book. — Mukul Sangma (@mukulsangma) February 18, 2018 × As per media reports, Garo National Liberation Army, a rebel outfit fighting for a sovereign Garoland, had put up posters in Williamnagar threatening voters with dire consequences if they vote Sangma It is learnt that Sangma had been facing similar threats since 2013 and he had even faced attacks by unknown miscreants earlier. During the last state election in 2013, he had filed a case against Congress leader Deborah C Marak for instigating militants of the Garo National Liberation Army against him during the elections. Deborah had won the seat in 2013 securing 8,402 votes while Jonathone had come second with 5,525 votes. Meghalaya goes to polls on 27 February.

Meghalaya elections: NCP candidate killed in terror attack

Hitting out at the Congress president Rahul Gandhi, the state BJP office tweeted a picture of a jacket similar to what Rahul Gandhi wore during a concert he attended at the poll-bound&nbsp;state Meghalaya on Tuesday. The picture also included the price tag of $ 995( a little over Rs 63,000).

The BJP office tweeted &quot;So @OfficeOfRG, soot(pun intended!)-boot ki sarkar with &#39;black&#39;&nbsp;money fleeced from Meghalayan State exchequer by rampant corruption? Instead of singing away our woes, you could have given a report card of your inefficient govt in Meghalaya! Your indifference mocks us!&quot;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
So <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficeOfRG?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OfficeOfRG</a> , soot(pun intended!)-boot ki sarkar with &lsquo;black&rsquo; money fleeced from Meghalayan State exchequer by rampant corruption? Instead of singing away our woes, you could have given a report card of your inefficient govt in Meghalaya! Your indifference mocks us! <a href="https://t.co/sRvj5eoyRb">pic.twitter.com/sRvj5eoyRb</a>
&mdash; BJP Meghalaya (@BJP4Meghalaya) <a href="https://twitter.com/BJP4Meghalaya/status/958400868277092352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Responding to the attacks of the state BJP office, Gandhi today said

He said &quot;&nbsp;You will not see him (PM) hug a poor person, talk to a poor person or even engage with a poor person. You will see him with others. &quot;There is a particular distance he maintains with the poor people which he does not with Mr Obama or others,&quot; The fact of the matter is that he (Modi) is still a suit-boot person. He has not done anything....,&quot;

He also took on the government for their promise to generate 2 crore jobs a year but failed to achieve the target.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Hitting out at the Congress President Rahul Gandhi during his visit to the poll-bound state Meghalaya, the state BJP office tweeted a picture of a jacket similar to what Rahul Gandhi had worn in a concert there. The picture also included the price tag of $ 995( a little over Rs 63,000)

Hitting out at the Congress president Rahul Gandhi, the state BJP office tweeted a picture of a jacket similar to what Rahul Gandhi wore during a concert he attended at the poll-bound state Meghalaya on Tuesday. The picture also included the price tag of $ 995( a little over Rs 63,000). The BJP office tweeted "So @OfficeOfRG, soot(pun intended!)-boot ki sarkar with 'black' money fleeced from Meghalayan State exchequer by rampant corruption? Instead of singing away our woes, you could have given a report card of your inefficient govt in Meghalaya! Your indifference mocks us!" So @OfficeOfRG , soot(pun intended!)-boot ki sarkar with ‘black’ money fleeced from Meghalayan State exchequer by rampant corruption? Instead of singing away our woes, you could have given a report card of your inefficient govt in Meghalaya! Your indifference mocks us! pic.twitter.com/sRvj5eoyRb — BJP Meghalaya (@BJP4Meghalaya) January 30, 2018 × Responding to the attacks of the state BJP office, Gandhi today said He said " You will not see him (PM) hug a poor person, talk to a poor person or even engage with a poor person. You will see him with others. "There is a particular distance he maintains with the poor people which he does not with Mr Obama or others," The fact of the matter is that he (Modi) is still a suit-boot person. He has not done anything....," He also took on the government for their promise to generate 2 crore jobs a year but failed to achieve the target.

Rahul Gandhi's 'Rs 63k' jacket renews 'soot -boot debate' between Congress- BJP

The Election Commission today issued the notifications for the February 27 Meghalaya Assembly elections.

Chief Electoral Officer of Meghalaya, F R Kharkongor said&nbsp;that &quot;The Election Commission has issued notifications for the elections in the state.&quot;

The tenure of the current 60-member Meghalaya Assembly ends on March 6 and the state will go to the polls on February 27.

With the issuance of the election notification, the filing of nomination started today.

The last date of filing nominations is February 7 while the date of scrutiny of nomination is February 8.

The last date of withdrawal of candidates is February 12.

The counting of votes will take place on March 3.

Voter Verified Paper Audit Trial (VVPAT) will be used along with EVMs in the election.

With the issuance of the election notification, the filing of nomination started today

The Election Commission today issued the notifications for the February 27 Meghalaya Assembly elections. Chief Electoral Officer of Meghalaya, F R Kharkongor said that "The Election Commission has issued notifications for the elections in the state." The tenure of the current 60-member Meghalaya Assembly ends on March 6 and the state will go to the polls on February 27. With the issuance of the election notification, the filing of nomination started today. The last date of filing nominations is February 7 while the date of scrutiny of nomination is February 8. The last date of withdrawal of candidates is February 12. The counting of votes will take place on March 3. Voter Verified Paper Audit Trial (VVPAT) will be used along with EVMs in the election.

Election Commission issues Meghalaya Assembly election notification

Assembly polls in&nbsp;Tripura will be held on February 18 while&nbsp;Meghalaya, Nagaland&nbsp;on&nbsp;February 27, announced Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AK Joti in Delhi on Thursday.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_o3WTOfDCg4" width="560"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

Counting in all the three states to take place on March 3, 2018.&nbsp;Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura all have 60 seats each.&nbsp;

Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) will be used in all three states.&nbsp;

First level checks have been completed, Joti said and added that the&nbsp;model code of conduct comes into effect from today in the three poll-bound northeast states.&nbsp;

The Legislative Assembly elections 2018 in Tripura, Meghalaya, and Nagaland will be held in a single phase.

Central forces to do area domination and flag marches will be deployed well in advance in all three states, CEC A K Joti says.

VVPAT count from one polling station each of every constituency in Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura to be matched with EVM count.

The Assembly terms of Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Tripura end on March 6, March 13 and March 14 respectively.&nbsp;

Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) will be used in all three states

Assembly polls in Tripura will be held on February 18 while Meghalaya, Nagaland on February 27, announced Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AK Joti in Delhi on Thursday. × Counting in all the three states to take place on March 3, 2018. Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura all have 60 seats each. Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) will be used in all three states. First level checks have been completed, Joti said and added that the model code of conduct comes into effect from today in the three poll-bound northeast states. The Legislative Assembly elections 2018 in Tripura, Meghalaya, and Nagaland will be held in a single phase. Central forces to do area domination and flag marches will be deployed well in advance in all three states, CEC A K Joti says. VVPAT count from one polling station each of every constituency in Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura to be matched with EVM count. The Assembly terms of Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Tripura end on March 6, March 13 and March 14 respectively.

Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura assembly polls to be held in February

The Election Commission of India (ECI) is expected to announce the polling date for Assembly elections in Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland in the national capital on Thursday.

The Legislative Assembly elections 2018 in Tripura, Meghalaya, and Nagaland will be held in a single phase.

The polling in all the three states is likely to be held in February.

The polling in all the three states is likely to be held in February.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) is expected to announce the polling date for Assembly elections in Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland in the national capital on Thursday. The Legislative Assembly elections 2018 in Tripura, Meghalaya, and Nagaland will be held in a single phase. The polling in all the three states is likely to be held in February.

Election commission to announce dates for Meghalaya, Tripura, Nagaland polls today

Eight MLAs in Meghalaya, which includes five from Congress, one from UDP and two independents, joined the National People&#39;s Party today.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Meghalaya: Eight MLAs (5- Congress, 1- UDP &amp; 2 independents) join National People&#39;s Party (NPP) in Shillong <a href="https://t.co/l3iHD7XEWU">pic.twitter.com/l3iHD7XEWU</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/948871822472232960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

The MLAs had quit their respective parties on December 29.&nbsp;

The members of the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/meghalaya-five-congress-mlas-resign-from-assembly-28044" target="_blank">ruling Congress who resigned from&nbsp;the party </a>included former Deputy Chief Minister Rowell Lyngdoh.

Along with them, three other MLAs, one from the United Democratic Party and two Independents had resigned from the House.&nbsp;

Rowell had already announced that the eight MLAs would join the National People&#39;s Party.&nbsp;

National People&#39;s Party is an ally of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

On January 2,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/meghalaya-4-mlas-quit-congress-to-join-bjp-ahead-of-assembly-elections-28323" target="_blank">four MLAs from Congress in Meghalaya had joined the BJP party</a>.&nbsp;

The number of Congress Legislators in the 60 member assembly seat has reduced to 24.&nbsp;The Northeastern state will hold assembly elections this year after the current House ends on March 6.&nbsp;

On January 2,?four MLAs from Congress in Meghalaya had joined the BJP party

Eight MLAs in Meghalaya, which includes five from Congress, one from UDP and two independents, joined the National People's Party today. Meghalaya: Eight MLAs (5- Congress, 1- UDP & 2 independents) join National People's Party (NPP) in Shillong pic.twitter.com/l3iHD7XEWU — ANI (@ANI) January 4, 2018 × The MLAs had quit their respective parties on December 29. The members of the ruling Congress who resigned from the party included former Deputy Chief Minister Rowell Lyngdoh. Along with them, three other MLAs, one from the United Democratic Party and two Independents had resigned from the House. Rowell had already announced that the eight MLAs would join the National People's Party. National People's Party is an ally of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). On January 2, four MLAs from Congress in Meghalaya had joined the BJP party. The number of Congress Legislators in the 60 member assembly seat has reduced to 24. The Northeastern state will hold assembly elections this year after the current House ends on March 6.

Meghalaya: 8 MLAs join NDA ally National People's Party

The ruling Congress in Meghalaya today suffered a setback when five of its MLAs, including former Deputy Chief Minister Rowell Lyngdoh, resigned from the state Assembly.&nbsp;

Along with them three other MLAs, including one from the United Democratic Party and two Independents, tendered resignation from the House, Assembly Principal Secretary Andrew Simons told PTI.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Meghalaya: Eight MLAs including five from the ruling Congress party have resigned from the state assembly <a href="https://t.co/w3aGeFFhsw">pic.twitter.com/w3aGeFFhsw</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/946726864751489024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Rowell, a veteran Congress leader of the state, later announced that all the eight MLAs, who have quit, would join the National People&#39;s Party at a rally of that party next week.&nbsp;

The 60-member Meghalaya Assembly had 30 Congress MLAs.&nbsp;

Today&#39;s resignation comes days after another Congress MLA, P N Syiem, resigned from the party.&nbsp;

With today&#39;s resignation the number of Congress legislators in the Assembly has come down to 24.&nbsp;

The term of the current House expires on March 6 and elections are due early next year in the state along with Nagaland and Tripura.&nbsp;

The five Congress Legislators who put in their papers from the House had earlier rebelled against Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and the party leadership.&nbsp;

Four of the five Congress Legislators were part of the state Cabinet earlier and were sacked by the chief minister in the past on alleged ground of incompetence.&nbsp;

They were joined by party MLA Mlangaitlang Dhar in quitting the membership of the Assembly.&nbsp;

&quot;Eight MLAs submitted their resignation to me at the office of the Speaker today. The Speaker was on a tour and was not available at his office,&quot; Assembly Principal Secretary Andrew Simons told PTI.&nbsp;

He said the resignation letters have been sent by email to Speaker Abu Taher Mondal.&nbsp;

Three others who quit are Remington Pyngrope (UDP) and two Independents-- Stephanson Mukhim and Hopeful Bamon.&nbsp;

&quot;We are joining the NPP on January 4 at a rally at Pologrounds,&quot; Rowell told reporters.&nbsp;

He said it was a difficult decision to leave the Congress but he was compelled to do so &quot;because of the people&quot;.&nbsp;

Hitting out at the chief minister, the former deputy chief minister said, &quot;The autocratic style of functioning of the chief minister had made it difficult for me and others to function in the government.&quot;&nbsp;

Rowell said the decision to set up a medical college in the state capital Shillong on PPP mode and another one in Tura to be funded by the state government, was taken without consultations in the cabinet.&nbsp;

He also slammed the state Congress president D D Lapang, who he alleged gave in to the diktats of the chief minister and went ahead and dissolved the block Congress committee in many constituencies including his.&nbsp;

Senior Congress leader and former cabinet minister Prestone Tynsong said the prospects of the Congress in Meghalaya will be badly hit.

The 60-member Meghalaya Assembly had 30 Congress MLAs

The ruling Congress in Meghalaya today suffered a setback when five of its MLAs, including former Deputy Chief Minister Rowell Lyngdoh, resigned from the state Assembly. Along with them three other MLAs, including one from the United Democratic Party and two Independents, tendered resignation from the House, Assembly Principal Secretary Andrew Simons told PTI. Meghalaya: Eight MLAs including five from the ruling Congress party have resigned from the state assembly pic.twitter.com/w3aGeFFhsw — ANI (@ANI) December 29, 2017 × Rowell, a veteran Congress leader of the state, later announced that all the eight MLAs, who have quit, would join the National People's Party at a rally of that party next week. The 60-member Meghalaya Assembly had 30 Congress MLAs. Today's resignation comes days after another Congress MLA, P N Syiem, resigned from the party. With today's resignation the number of Congress legislators in the Assembly has come down to 24. The term of the current House expires on March 6 and elections are due early next year in the state along with Nagaland and Tripura. The five Congress Legislators who put in their papers from the House had earlier rebelled against Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and the party leadership. Four of the five Congress Legislators were part of the state Cabinet earlier and were sacked by the chief minister in the past on alleged ground of incompetence. They were joined by party MLA Mlangaitlang Dhar in quitting the membership of the Assembly. "Eight MLAs submitted their resignation to me at the office of the Speaker today. The Speaker was on a tour and was not available at his office," Assembly Principal Secretary Andrew Simons told PTI. He said the resignation letters have been sent by email to Speaker Abu Taher Mondal. Three others who quit are Remington Pyngrope (UDP) and two Independents-- Stephanson Mukhim and Hopeful Bamon. "We are joining the NPP on January 4 at a rally at Pologrounds," Rowell told reporters. He said it was a difficult decision to leave the Congress but he was compelled to do so "because of the people". Hitting out at the chief minister, the former deputy chief minister said, "The autocratic style of functioning of the chief minister had made it difficult for me and others to function in the government." Rowell said the decision to set up a medical college in the state capital Shillong on PPP mode and another one in Tura to be funded by the state government, was taken without consultations in the cabinet. He also slammed the state Congress president D D Lapang, who he alleged gave in to the diktats of the chief minister and went ahead and dissolved the block Congress committee in many constituencies including his. Senior Congress leader and former cabinet minister Prestone Tynsong said the prospects of the Congress in Meghalaya will be badly hit.

Meghalaya: Five Congress MLAs resign from Assembly

After an intense legal battle, the Naam Khasi of Mylliem in Meghalaya will be allowed to cremate their dead.

The Naam Khasi, who are an indigenous people, had earlier not been allowed to cremate their dead. When they had tried to do so, members of another community had dismantled their cremation site.

Naam Khasi members had submitted to the Meghalaya high court that they had not been allowed to cremate their dead at burial sites. And that they often had to travel long distances carrying their dead, looking for places to cremate them.

Although the matter was later&nbsp;settled between the two parties outside court, the Meghalaya High Court further stated: &quot;Anybody belonging to the indigenous faith and from any locality who needs to use the crematorium, can use it.&quot;

Justice Sen of the Meghalaya High court did not mince his words while highlighting issues of caste, faith and religion. He wrote, &quot;I am pained that even after so many years of independence, now at the 21st Century, people are not aware of the Constitution of the country where they live in and violates the Constitution. Now also, we have to remind them about the Constitutional rights and liability.&quot;

He added, &quot;If the water that we drink does not ask about our faith, caste and religion; if the air that we breathe does not ask about our faith, caste and religion; and if the land where we all live do not ask about our faith, caste and religion; if the cosmos do not ask about our faith, caste and religion, then who are we to ask about others faith, caste and religion. Therefore, let the dead rest in peace. It is really very sad that even after death, we are fighting over our faith, caste and religion. Do the people of this country want to say that after death, somebody will go to heaven or somebody will go to hell; nobody knows that. My humble belief is that there are not two or three Gods, God is only one.&nbsp;I further mention that no person can practice religion or become spiritual, until and unless he or she becomes a good human being&nbsp;because humanity comes first, then religion.&quot;

The high court had recently rapped the headmistresses of two schools who, along with their students, had objected to the cremation of a Naam Khasi woman&#39;s husband at a burial site.

Justice Sen not only reiterated his previous observations on caste-related issues but also expressed anguish over repeated incidents of intolerance. &quot;If the children are not being taught properly about the Constitution, religious tolerance and mutual respect, what will be the fate of this country? Parents send their children to school to make them good citizens of the country and not to become hooligans. If a headmistress cannot control the students, then they have no right to hold such a post,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

Cremating their dead was not the only issue before the court. Many Naam Khasi students were being ill-treated by school authorities and were often asked to sit separately in classrooms. This&nbsp;discrimination was openly supported by teachers.

The court observed,&nbsp;&quot;It is really shameful for all of us and I repeat, that society should wake up and look into these types of issues and help India become &lsquo;One Country, One Nation and One Family&#39;.&quot;

While caste, religion and faith still hold our social structures together, the judiciary has, with this judgement, reminded us of the humanity and justice that often goes missing from our socio-political narrative.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The words were uttered by Justice Sen while giving the Naam Khasi of Mylliem in Meghalaya the right to cremate their dead

After an intense legal battle, the Naam Khasi of Mylliem in Meghalaya will be allowed to cremate their dead. The Naam Khasi, who are an indigenous people, had earlier not been allowed to cremate their dead. When they had tried to do so, members of another community had dismantled their cremation site. Naam Khasi members had submitted to the Meghalaya high court that they had not been allowed to cremate their dead at burial sites. And that they often had to travel long distances carrying their dead, looking for places to cremate them. Although the matter was later settled between the two parties outside court, the Meghalaya High Court further stated: "Anybody belonging to the indigenous faith and from any locality who needs to use the crematorium, can use it." Justice Sen of the Meghalaya High court did not mince his words while highlighting issues of caste, faith and religion. He wrote, "I am pained that even after so many years of independence, now at the 21st Century, people are not aware of the Constitution of the country where they live in and violates the Constitution. Now also, we have to remind them about the Constitutional rights and liability." He added, "If the water that we drink does not ask about our faith, caste and religion; if the air that we breathe does not ask about our faith, caste and religion; and if the land where we all live do not ask about our faith, caste and religion; if the cosmos do not ask about our faith, caste and religion, then who are we to ask about others faith, caste and religion. Therefore, let the dead rest in peace. It is really very sad that even after death, we are fighting over our faith, caste and religion. Do the people of this country want to say that after death, somebody will go to heaven or somebody will go to hell; nobody knows that. My humble belief is that there are not two or three Gods, God is only one. I further mention that no person can practice religion or become spiritual, until and unless he or she becomes a good human being because humanity comes first, then religion." The high court had recently rapped the headmistresses of two schools who, along with their students, had objected to the cremation of a Naam Khasi woman's husband at a burial site. Justice Sen not only reiterated his previous observations on caste-related issues but also expressed anguish over repeated incidents of intolerance. "If the children are not being taught properly about the Constitution, religious tolerance and mutual respect, what will be the fate of this country? Parents send their children to school to make them good citizens of the country and not to become hooligans. If a headmistress cannot control the students, then they have no right to hold such a post," he said. Cremating their dead was not the only issue before the court. Many Naam Khasi students were being ill-treated by school authorities and were often asked to sit separately in classrooms. This discrimination was openly supported by teachers. The court observed, "It is really shameful for all of us and I repeat, that society should wake up and look into these types of issues and help India become ‘One Country, One Nation and One Family'." While caste, religion and faith still hold our social structures together, the judiciary has, with this judgement, reminded us of the humanity and justice that often goes missing from our socio-political narrative.

Humanity comes first, then religion: Meghalaya High Court

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/congress-took-india-to-21st-century-but-the-pm-today-is-taking-us-back-to-medieval-times-rahul-gandhi-26892">PM Modi taking India back to medieval times: Rahul Gandhi</a>

In his inagurual speech after taking over as Congress president, Rahul Gandhi attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s policies and alleged &#39;&#39;Modi is taking us back to the medieval times&#39;&#39;.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rahul-gandhi-takes-charge-as-congress-president-26891">&#39;&#39;Congress took India to&nbsp;</a>21st century, but the PM, today, is taking us back to the medieval times,&#39;&#39; Congress president Rahul Gandhi said.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-administration-may-revoke-rule-allowing-spouses-of-h-1b-visa-holders-to-work-in-the-united-states-26905">Trump administration may revoke rule allowing spouses of H-1B visa holders to work in </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-administration-may-revoke-rule-allowing-spouses-of-h-1b-visa-holders-to-work-in-the-united-states-26905">United</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-administration-may-revoke-rule-allowing-spouses-of-h-1b-visa-holders-to-work-in-the-united-states-26905"> States</a>

Trump administration had decided to revoke the rule that allows spouses of H-1B visa holders to work in the United States, likely causing a muddle in technology jobs, reports said on Saturday.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-26898">Only PM after Morarji Desai to take part in meeting of North-East Council: PM Modi in Shillong</a>

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Shillong-Nongstoin-Rongjeng-Tura Road in Meghalaya capital Shillong on Saturday.

The prime minister said the road will boost economic activity and establish a direct link between the important towns of the state.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sonia-gandhi-will-fight-from-rae-bareli-priyanka-gandhi-26907">Sonia Gandhi will fight from Rae Bareli: Priyanka Gandhi</a>

Congress party leader Priyanka Gandhi has denied the rumours of her mother, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi retiring from politics.

Priyanka Gandhi said that Sonia Gandhi will be fighting in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from her constituency, Raebareli, in Uttar Pradesh.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/coal-scam-madhu-koda-gets-3-year-imprisonment-26890">Coal Scam: Madhu Koda gets 3-year imprisonment, 2 months interim bail granted</a>

A special CBI court in Delhi has sentenced former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda and his former coal secretary H C Gupta to 3-year imprisonment.

Koda has also been slapped with a fine of Rs 25 lakh while a Gupta has been fined Rs.1 lakh; three others to appeal in the high court reports ANI.&nbsp;

PM Modi taking India back to medieval times: Rahul Gandhi In his inagurual speech after taking over as Congress president, Rahul Gandhi attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policies and alleged ''Modi is taking us back to the medieval times''. ''Congress took India to 21st century, but the PM, today, is taking us back to the medieval times,'' Congress president Rahul Gandhi said. Trump administration may revoke rule allowing spouses of H-1B visa holders to work in United States Trump administration had decided to revoke the rule that allows spouses of H-1B visa holders to work in the United States, likely causing a muddle in technology jobs, reports said on Saturday. Only PM after Morarji Desai to take part in meeting of North-East Council: PM Modi in Shillong Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Shillong-Nongstoin-Rongjeng-Tura Road in Meghalaya capital Shillong on Saturday. The prime minister said the road will boost economic activity and establish a direct link between the important towns of the state. Sonia Gandhi will fight from Rae Bareli: Priyanka Gandhi Congress party leader Priyanka Gandhi has denied the rumours of her mother, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi retiring from politics. Priyanka Gandhi said that Sonia Gandhi will be fighting in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from her constituency, Raebareli, in Uttar Pradesh. Coal Scam: Madhu Koda gets 3-year imprisonment, 2 months interim bail granted A special CBI court in Delhi has sentenced former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda and his former coal secretary H C Gupta to 3-year imprisonment. Koda has also been slapped with a fine of Rs 25 lakh while a Gupta has been fined Rs.1 lakh; three others to appeal in the high court reports ANI.

Evening News Brief, December 16, 2017

A medium intensity earthquake&nbsp;had hit the North-eastern state Meghalaya today morning.

The Earthquake struck the state at around 8 am and was measured 4.7 on Richter Scale.&nbsp;

The epicentre&nbsp;of the quake was at a depth of 60 km in remote East Garo Hills district.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Earthquake of magnitude 4.7 occurred in Meghalaya at around 8 am. (Source: EMSC)
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/940072802161344513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

A similar&nbsp;medium intensity earthquake had struck Jammu and Kashmir today morning.&nbsp;

The earthquake measured 4.5 on the Richter scale.

The&nbsp;National Seismology Centre of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the earthquake occurred at 4:28 am(local time)&nbsp; and was at a depth of 33 km.

There was no report of a casualty from any of the earthquakes.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

A similar?medium intensity earthquake had struck Jammu and Kashmir today morning

A medium intensity earthquake had hit the North-eastern state Meghalaya today morning. The Earthquake struck the state at around 8 am and was measured 4.7 on Richter Scale. The epicentre of the quake was at a depth of 60 km in remote East Garo Hills district. Earthquake of magnitude 4.7 occurred in Meghalaya at around 8 am. (Source: EMSC) — ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2017 × A similar medium intensity earthquake had struck Jammu and Kashmir today morning. The earthquake measured 4.5 on the Richter scale. The National Seismology Centre of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the earthquake occurred at 4:28 am(local time) and was at a depth of 33 km. There was no report of a casualty from any of the earthquakes.

Meghalaya experiences 4.7 magnitude earthquake, no casualties

The ruling Congress in Meghalaya has suffered another jolt with state party president and four-time chief minister DD Lapang deciding to opt out of assembly poll race, due early next year.&nbsp;

His announcement came a month after two senior leaders holding cabinet berths -- deputy chief minister Roytre C Laloo and Roshan Warjri -- expressed similar intentions.&nbsp;

The 85-year-old veteran leader met All India Congress&nbsp;Committee president Sonia Gandhi in Delhi yesterday to inform her of his decision.&nbsp;

&quot;She wished me well and said I should continue to keep the party united and share my experience and advisories with the workers and leaders,&quot; Lapang said in a statement.&nbsp;

The former CM also exchanged greetings with Meghalaya party in-charge C P Joshi during a meeting called to discuss the elevation of Rahul Gandhi as Congress president.&nbsp;

He had informed Chief Minister Mukul Sangma about his decision prior to his meeting with Sonia Gandhi yesterday.&nbsp;

Lapang had won the Nongpoh seat in the 1972 assembly elections as an Independent candidate. He later joined the Congress and was elected chief minister in 1992, 2003, 2007 and 2009.&nbsp;

However, he never completed his tenure as the chief minister.

Lapang's announcement came a month after two senior leaders holding cabinet berths -- Deputy Chief Minister Roytre C Laloo and Roshan Warjri -- expressed similar intentions

The ruling Congress in Meghalaya has suffered another jolt with state party president and four-time chief minister DD Lapang deciding to opt out of assembly poll race, due early next year. His announcement came a month after two senior leaders holding cabinet berths -- deputy chief minister Roytre C Laloo and Roshan Warjri -- expressed similar intentions. The 85-year-old veteran leader met All India Congress Committee president Sonia Gandhi in Delhi yesterday to inform her of his decision. "She wished me well and said I should continue to keep the party united and share my experience and advisories with the workers and leaders," Lapang said in a statement. The former CM also exchanged greetings with Meghalaya party in-charge C P Joshi during a meeting called to discuss the elevation of Rahul Gandhi as Congress president. He had informed Chief Minister Mukul Sangma about his decision prior to his meeting with Sonia Gandhi yesterday. Lapang had won the Nongpoh seat in the 1972 assembly elections as an Independent candidate. He later joined the Congress and was elected chief minister in 1992, 2003, 2007 and 2009. However, he never completed his tenure as the chief minister.

Meghalaya Congress President DD Lapang opts out of Assembly poll race

President Ram Nath Kovind appointed five new governors on Saturday with Brig&nbsp;(Dr) BD Mishra (Retd) taking over as governor of Arunachal Pradesh.

Banwarilal Purohit was appointed governor of Tamil Nadu, and Satya Pal Malik as governor of Bihar.

Professor Jagdish Mukhi was appointed governor of Assam, and Ganga Prasad governor of Meghalaya.&nbsp;

In addition, Admiral (Retd) DK Joshi was made lieutenant governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.&nbsp;

In addition, Admiral (Retd) DK Joshi was made LG of Andaman and Nicobar

President Ram Nath Kovind appointed five new governors on Saturday with Brig (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd) taking over as governor of Arunachal Pradesh. Banwarilal Purohit was appointed governor of Tamil Nadu, and Satya Pal Malik as governor of Bihar. Professor Jagdish Mukhi was appointed governor of Assam, and Ganga Prasad governor of Meghalaya. In addition, Admiral (Retd) DK Joshi was made lieutenant governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Five states get new governors

An elderly woman from Meghalaya wearing a traditional Khasi dress was allegedly asked to leave the Delhi Golf Club even as she was having lunch with a member on Sunday.

The woman, Tailin Lyngdoh, works as a governess for Dr Nivedita Barthakur Sondhi who is a member of the club and an honorary health advisor to the Assam government.

Dr Nivedita Barthakur Sondhi had invited around eight guests for lunch on Sunday, Tailin Lyngdoh was wearing the traditional jainsem&nbsp;Khasi dress when a few minutes into the lunch meeting the manager of the club asked Lyngdoh to leave the table and the room.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="740" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fnivedita.barthakur%2Fposts%2F10155502123531584&amp;width=500" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" width="500"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&quot;The club staff asked her to leave, they said she looked like a maid and a Nepali,&quot; Nivedita Barthakur told ANI.

Tailin&nbsp;Lyngdoh who was asked to leave the room while she was having lunch with Nivedita Barthakur&nbsp;and her guests, said:&quot;Delhi Golf Club objected to my attire and asked me to leave. I was wearing a Khasi dress.&quot;

In a statement to ANI, the Delhi Golf Club said, &quot;Unfortunate an undesirable attempt is being made to give the incident political and cultural overtones. Explanation from the staff was sought and disciplinary action is in process.&quot;

&quot;Apology has been made to the member who had brought the guest. It&nbsp;has been unconditionally accepted,&quot;&nbsp;Delhi Golf Club added.

&quot;The incident could have been handled in a better way by the staff, the guests were not asked to leave,&quot; the club said.

Dr Nivedita Barthakur in her Facebook post wrote:

&quot;An extremely proud, Khasi lady who has travelled the world in her Jenseim from London to UAE was thrown out of the Delhi Golf Club because her dress was taken for a maid&#39;s uniform!

Despite she being invited in her own right as a guest of a member. She was humiliated and the two gatekeepers of haute culture of Delhi, one Ms Sumita Thakur and Mr Ajit Pal, did not even have the grace to apologise. The room was full of Delhi elites who make their maid&#39;s and nannies wait outside in the heat lest they pollute their surroundings, and I bet many of them were civil servants and keepers of the Indian constitution. 

It was so appalling at many levels: that a citizen of India is judged on her dress and treated as a pariah; that in this day and age human rights of so many citizens can be trampled on just because he /she earns an honest living as a help.&quot;

The post soon went viral on the net with netizens attacking the&nbsp;&quot;elite class Delhiites&quot;.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Forget Delhi Golf Club, almost all Golf clubs in India have a dress code. Even dhoti kurta and lungi is an Indian dress but not allowed.
&mdash; Gautam Trivedi (@Gotham3) <a href="https://twitter.com/Gotham3/status/879552260820287488">June 27, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
In yet another case of discrimination against our Northeastern brothers and sisters, a woman- a <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Khasi?src=hash">#Khasi</a> lady was... <a href="https://t.co/gJYfW1NGJb">https://t.co/gJYfW1NGJb</a>
&mdash; Shweta Raj Kanwar (@shwetarajkanwar) <a href="https://twitter.com/shwetarajkanwar/status/879266140370997248">June 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Tailin Lyngdoh, works as a governess for Dr Nivedita Barthakur Sondhi, was asked to leave the club by the Delhi Golf Club manager

An elderly woman from Meghalaya wearing a traditional Khasi dress was allegedly asked to leave the Delhi Golf Club even as she was having lunch with a member on Sunday. The woman, Tailin Lyngdoh, works as a governess for Dr Nivedita Barthakur Sondhi who is a member of the club and an honorary health advisor to the Assam government. Dr Nivedita Barthakur Sondhi had invited around eight guests for lunch on Sunday, Tailin Lyngdoh was wearing the traditional jainsem Khasi dress when a few minutes into the lunch meeting the manager of the club asked Lyngdoh to leave the table and the room. × "The club staff asked her to leave, they said she looked like a maid and a Nepali," Nivedita Barthakur told ANI. Tailin Lyngdoh who was asked to leave the room while she was having lunch with Nivedita Barthakur and her guests, said:"Delhi Golf Club objected to my attire and asked me to leave. I was wearing a Khasi dress." In a statement to ANI, the Delhi Golf Club said, "Unfortunate an undesirable attempt is being made to give the incident political and cultural overtones. Explanation from the staff was sought and disciplinary action is in process." "Apology has been made to the member who had brought the guest. It has been unconditionally accepted," Delhi Golf Club added. "The incident could have been handled in a better way by the staff, the guests were not asked to leave," the club said. Dr Nivedita Barthakur in her Facebook post wrote: "An extremely proud, Khasi lady who has travelled the world in her Jenseim from London to UAE was thrown out of the Delhi Golf Club because her dress was taken for a maid's uniform! Despite she being invited in her own right as a guest of a member. She was humiliated and the two gatekeepers of haute culture of Delhi, one Ms Sumita Thakur and Mr Ajit Pal, did not even have the grace to apologise. The room was full of Delhi elites who make their maid's and nannies wait outside in the heat lest they pollute their surroundings, and I bet many of them were civil servants and keepers of the Indian constitution. It was so appalling at many levels: that a citizen of India is judged on her dress and treated as a pariah; that in this day and age human rights of so many citizens can be trampled on just because he /she earns an honest living as a help." The post soon went viral on the net with netizens attacking the "elite class Delhiites". Forget Delhi Golf Club, almost all Golf clubs in India have a dress code. Even dhoti kurta and lungi is an Indian dress but not allowed. — Gautam Trivedi (@Gotham3) June 27, 2017 × In yet another case of discrimination against our Northeastern brothers and sisters, a woman- a #Khasi lady was... https://t.co/gJYfW1NGJb — Shweta Raj Kanwar (@shwetarajkanwar) June 26, 2017 ×

Delhi Golf Club asks Khasi woman in traditional attire to leave, apologises after blowback

meghalaya

Meghalaya, News on Meghalaya, stories on Meghalaya, articles on Meghalaya, Meghalaya stories at Wion, Meghalaya news, Meghalaya latest news