Battle lines have been drawn for multi-cornered contests to the three Assembly seats in Meghalaya with 20 candidates, half of whom are independents, remaining in the fray for the by-elections scheduled on February 23. Among the big names former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno A Sangma's son Conrad Sangma is making his electoral debut on an NCP ticket from Selsela seat, where seven other candidates, including four independents, are in the fray. Padmashree awardee and ''Shillong Times editor Manas Chaudhuri is seeking election from Mawprem, which was earlier held by his elder brother Ardhendu Chaudhuri who was killed in a helicopter accident on September 22 last year. Among the 20 candidates, as no one withdrew from contest on the last day of withdrawal. Five of them are contesting in Mawprem, seven in Songsak and eight in Selsela seats. The Congress has fielded candidates in all seats, while the BJP has fielded candidates in Mawprem and Selsela.

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