Election
State story

Meghalaya: 9 straight for the INC, 1978–2018

11 Assembly elections · 1972–2023 · 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 (32 → 16).
  2. 2023NPP took the house with 26 of 59, ending INC’s run (21 → 5).

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.