Three independents file nominations for Meghalaya by-elections Three candidates, including Padmashree award winner Manas Chaudhuri, filed their nomination papers for by-elections to the three assembly seats in Meghalaya scheduled to be held on February 23.Mr Chaudhuri, also an editor of the Shillong Times, is contesting as an independent from Mawprem in East Khasi Hills, which fell vacant following his elder brother Ardhudendu Chaudhuri's (NCP) death last year. Two others, Sanjay R Marak and Anderson Sangma, filed their papers from Songsak in Garo Hills as independent candidates.

All the three seats-Mawprem (in Khasi Hills) and Selsela and Songsak in Garo hills fell vacant following death of the respective representatives who were killed in a helicopter tragedy. BJP candidate B B Chetri in Mawprem is expected to file his papers soon.  Congress has pitched D B Gurung while the NCP, the UDP, the MDP, the KHNAM and the HSPDP have not fielded any candidates for this seat.

In Selsella and Songsak, besides the Congress, the NCP, the BJP and the United Democratic Party, a good number of independent candidates, who were denied party tickets, might try their political fortune.Going by the trend a triangular contest in Mawprem and multi-cornered contests is expected in the rest two seats.

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