National People’s Party (NPP) national president and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Thursday formally announced Dr D.R.L. Nonglait as the party’s official candidate for the upcoming Shillong Lok Sabha by-election during the General Executive Meeting held at the State Central Library.
Talking to media persons, Conrad Sangma said, “For us we look at it as moment of pride, We look at this is an opportunity for us bringing our thoughts, bringing our ideology, and bringing pur vision together and working together as a team to achieve the same goal and the same purpose that we all are trying to achieve. And to be able to ensure that identity of the tribes of our state is maintained and we do whatever we can to protected and to nurture it. This is what Dr. Nonglait has been doing throughout his life and career to protect that.
“This is objective of the government and we feel that it’s a perfect combination and a perfect team was be able to take our concerns our position and our vision and are fight further. So we are able to achieve the different goal that we sent,” he added.
Asked about a possible sympathy wave in favour of the Voice of the People’s Party, the NPP national president said, “All elections are difficult, I always maintain this from day one, so we don’t take anything lightly. For us, every single party that is there, which is going to contest is a formidable force for us. That’s how you always prepared and we were ensure that we would do our best, we work hard so to ensure that we win Lok Sabha bye election.”
The announcement has intensified political activity ahead of the crucial parliamentary contest, with major political parties accelerating internal consultations and candidate selection processes for the high-stakes by-election.
The Voice of the People’s Party has fielded academician Batskhem Myrboh as its candidate, while the Bharatiya Janata Party said it has “four to five” aspiring candidates and will announce its nominee only after the Election Commission formally declares the election schedule.
The United Democratic Party, an alliance partner in the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government, is still holding discussions over its possible candidate for the constituency.
The Indian National Congress is expected to finalise its nominee for the Shillong Parliamentary constituency by May 15. Party leaders are scheduled to hold a meeting with organisational functionaries on May 14, with the name of former Shillong MP Vincent H. Pala emerging as the frontrunner for the Congress ticket.
The by-election was necessitated following the death of sitting Shillong MP Ricky A. J. Syngkon on February 19, 2026. The vacancy arose less than two years after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, in which the Voice of the People’s Party leader had defeated Pala by a significant margin in one of Meghalaya’s most closely watched electoral contests.
