Election
State story

Meghalaya: 9 straight for the INC, 1978–2018

11 Assembly elections · 19722023 · every seat count and share is read from the official record.

Who held the house

bar width = years in charge · tap one for that election
1972AHL
1978INC
2023NPP

Indian National Congress has led 9 of 11 elections; power changed hands 2 times.

Seats over time

the leading parties
INCpeak 29 · 2013
2919722023
INDpeak 19 · 1972
1919722023
UDPpeak 20 · 1998
2019722023
AHLpeak 32 · 1972
3219722023

Meghalaya has voted in 11 Assembly elections between 1972 and 2023. Indian National Congress has been the largest party in 9 of them — a long grip on the state.

Power has changed hands 2 times. The steadiest run was Indian National Congress's — the top party from 1978 to 2018 across 9 elections.

In 1978, Indian National Congress broke through — 20 of 60 seats — ending AHL's hold, which fell from 32 to 16.

In 2023, National People's Party broke through — 26 of 59 seats — ending Indian National Congress's hold, which fell from 21 to 5.

The sharpest single swing was 2023: National People's Party went from 0 to 26 seats, a gain of 26.

The closest verdict was 2018: Indian National Congress finished just 2 seats ahead of NPEP.

Most recently, in 2023, National People's Party holds 26 of 59 seats on 31.5% of the vote — short of the 30-seat majority.

Pivotal elections

who held the house, seat by seat
First on record · 1972open →
32AHL
  • AHL3253%
  • IND1932%
  • INC915%

AHL · 35.7% of the vote · majority

Most recent · 2023open →
26NPP
  • NPP2644%
  • UDP1119%
  • AITC58%
  • INC58%
  • Others1220%

National People's Party · 31.5% of the vote · short of majority

The turn of 2023

2023 seats minus 2018
seats lostseats gained
NPP
1 → 26
+25
UDP
6 → 11
+5
AITC
0 → 5
+5
INC
21 → 5
−16
VPP
0 → 4
+4
BJP
2 → 2
0
IND
3 → 2
−1
HSPDP
2 → 2
0

Every time power changed hands

  1. 1978INC took the house with 20 of 60, ending AHL’s run (3216).
  2. 2023NPP took the house with 26 of 59, ending INC’s run (215).

Party identity

renames, splits and mergers along the way
  • Indian National Congress saw All India Trinamool Congress break away in 1998; saw Nationalist Congress Party break away in 1999; saw YSR Congress Party break away in 2011; saw NCO break away in 1969; saw INCU break away in 1979; saw ICS break away in 1978; saw BAC break away in 1966; saw UTC break away in 1969; saw HVP break away in 1996; saw AINRC break away in 2011; took in MSCP in 2014; took in ICS in 1986; took in NNO in 1976; took in HVP in 2004; took in VHP in 1978.