The Opposition Voice of the People Party (VPP) on Monday unseated the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) in Meghalaya’s Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) by winning 17 of the 29 seats in the council polls held on Friday.

The NPP won four seats while its ally, the United Democratic Party (UDP), won five seats and Independents got two seats. The BJP, also an ally of the NPP, the Opposition Congress and the Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) drew a blank. The results once again showed the fall of the Congress in Meghalaya since losing power in 2018.

The NPP, however, emerged as the single largest party in the 29-member Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) polls held simultaneously with the KHADC polls in which the VPP finished a close second by winning eight seats. The UDP and the Congress won three each while the Independents two seats.

Formed in 2021 November, the VPP had won four out of the 60 seats in its first assembly polls in 2023 and one of the two Lok Sabha seats in 2024. Clinching a majority on its own in the KHADC shows its rapid rise in the state’s political landscape. VPP president Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit said he was extremely happy with the verdict as people have reposed faith in the party.

The VPP had based its campaign on securing more power to the councils under Article 371 and good governance with zero-tolerance towards corruption. The verdict also suggest the declining appeal of regional parties aligning with national parties.

The polls had recored a turnout of over 72 per cent in the KHADC polls and over 8-0 per cent in the JHADC polls. Repolling was held in four polling booths under East Jaintia Hills districts.