View source for 1978 Meghalaya Legislative Assembly election

{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1978 Meghalaya Legislative Assembly election
| country = India
| type = parliamentary
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 1972 Meghalaya Legislative Assembly election
| previous_year = 1972
| next_election = 1983 Meghalaya Legislative Assembly election
| next_year = 1983
| seats_for_election = All 60 seats in the [[Meghalaya Legislative Assembly]]
| majority_seats = 31
| election_date = 25 February 1978
| turnout = 67.18%
| opinion_polls = 
| image1 =
| leader1 = 
| leader_since1 = 
| party1 = All Party Hill Leaders Conference
| alliance1 =
| leaders_seat1 =
| popular_vote1 = 94,362
| percentage1 = 24.92
| swing1 = 10.75 {{decrease}}
| last_election1 = 
| seats_before1 = 32
| seats_needed1 = 
| seats1 = 16
| seat_change1 = 16 {{decrease}}
| image2 = 
| leader2 =  
| leader_since2 = 
| party2 = Indian National Congress
| alliance2 =
| leaders_seat2 =
| popular_vote2 = 109,654
| percentage2 = 28.96
| swing2 = 19.07 {{increase}}
| last_election2 = 
| seats_before2 = 9
| seats_needed2 = 
| seats2 = 20
| seat_change2 = 11 {{increase}}
| map_alt = 
| map_image = 
| map_size = 
| map_caption = 
| title = [[List of Chief Ministers of Meghalaya|Chief Minister]]
| before_election = [[Williamson A. Sangma]]
| before_party = All Party Hill Leaders Conference
| posttitle = 
| after_election = [[Darwin Diengdoh Pugh]]
| after_party = All Party Hill Leaders Conference
}}
The '''1978 Meghalaya Legislative Assembly election''' was held on 25 February 1978.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Warjri|first=Antarwell|date=March 2017|title=Role of Regional Political Parties and Formation of the Coalition Governments in Meghalaya|url=https://www.ijhsss.com/files/19.-Antarwell-Warjri.pdf|journal=International Journal of Humanities & Social Science Studies|volume=3|issue=5|pages=206–218}}</ref> No party secured a majority of seats in the election.  Following negotiations, a coalition government, known as the Meghalaya United Legislative Party, was formed between the [[All Party Hill Leaders Conference]], the [[Hill State People's Democratic Party]] and the [[Public Demands Implementation Convention]] (PDIC).<ref name=":0" /> Due to an inability to reach agreement between the coalition parties, the position of Chief Minister was chosen by [[Sortition|drawing lots]]; subsequently, on 10 March 1978, [[Darwin Diengdoh Pugh]] was sworn in as the state's second Chief Minister.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oneindia.com/2008/11/18/former-meghalaya-chief-minister-d-d-pugh-dies-1226999313.html|title=Former Meghalaya Chief Minister D D Pugh dies|last=Staff|date=2008-11-18|website=Oneindia.com|language=en|access-date=2020-03-08}}</ref> Miriam D Shira from Garo Hills was the only woman elected to the legislature.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Joshi|first=Hargovind|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6Ug-LSwx5OsC|title=Meghalaya: Past and Present|date=2004|publisher=Mittal Publications|isbn=978-81-7099-980-5|pages=292|language=en}}</ref>

== Results ==
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:right
! style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2" colspan="2"| Parties and coalitions
! colspan="3"| Popular vote
! colspan="2"| Seats
|- bgcolor="#E9E9E9" align="center"
!Votes
!%
!±[[Percentage point|pp]]
!Won
!+/−
|-
| width="1" bgcolor="{{party color|Indian National Congress}}"|
| align="left"| [[Indian National Congress]] (INC)
| 109,654 || 28.96 ||19.07 {{Increase}}
| 20 || 11 {{Increase}}
|-
| width="1" bgcolor="{{party color|All Party Hill Leaders Conference}}"|
| align="left" |[[All Party Hill Leaders Conference]] (APHLC)
|94,362
|24.92
|10.75 {{Decrease}}
|16
|16 {{Decrease}}
|-
| width="1" bgcolor="{{party color|Hill State People's Democratic Party}}"|
| align="left" |[[Hill State People's Democratic Party]] (HSPDP)
|72,852
|19.24
| bgcolor="#E9E9E9" |
|14{{ref label|alpha|a}}
| bgcolor="#E9E9E9" |
|-
| width="1" bgcolor="{{party color|Indian National Congress (I)}}"|
| align="left" |[[Indian National Congress (I)]]
| 5,447 || 1.44

| bgcolor="#E9E9E9"|
| 0

| bgcolor="#E9E9E9"| 
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|Communist Party of India}}" |
| align="left" |[[Communist Party of India]]
|2,361
|0.62
|0.05 {{Increase}}
|0
|{{Steady}}
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|Independent (politician)}}" |
| align="left" |[[Independent (politician)|Independents]] (IND)
| 93,970 || 24.82 ||29.04 {{Decrease}}
| 10{{ref label|beta|b}} ||9 {{Decrease}}
|-
| colspan="7" bgcolor="#E9E9E9"|
|- style="font-weight:bold;"
| align="left" colspan="2"| Total
| 378,646 || 100.00 || bgcolor="#E9E9E9"|
| 60 || ±0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" colspan="7" |<small>Source: [[Election Commission of India]]</small><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://eci.gov.in/files/file/3670-meghalaya-1978/|title=Meghalaya 1978|website=Election Commission of India|access-date=7 March 2020}}</ref>
|}
{{note label|alpha|a}}<small> The HSPDP won 8 seats in the 1972 election, but the party's representatives were recorded as independents at the time of that election.</small><ref name=":0" />

{{note label|beta|b}}<small>Two candidates from the PDIC were elected, but the party had not obtained registration in time for the election; the party's representatives were recorded as independents in the official results.</small><ref>{{Cite book|last=Gupta|first=Susmita Sen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MRWKAAAAMAAJ|title=Regionalism in Meghalaya|date=2005|publisher=South Asian Publishers|isbn=978-81-7003-288-5|pages=118|language=en}}</ref>

==Elected Members==
{|class="wikitable sortable"
!Constituency
!Reserved for<br/>([[Scheduled Castes|SC]]/[[Scheduled Tribes|ST]]/None)
!Member
!colspan=2|Party
|-
| War-jaintia || ST || Johndeng Pohrmen || {{Full party name with color|All Party Hill Leaders Conference}}
|-
| Rymbai || ST || Obil Kyndait || {{Full party name with color|Hill State People's Democratic Party}}
|-
| Sutnga-shangpung || ST || Barrister Pakem || {{Full party name with color|Hill State People's Democratic Party}}
|-
| Raliang || ST || Humphrey Hadem || {{Full party name with color|Hill State People's Democratic Party}}
|-
| Nartiang || ST || H.britainwar Dan || {{Full party name with color|Independent (politician)}}
|-
| Nongbah-wahiajer || ST || Albin Lamare || {{Full party name with color|All Party Hill Leaders Conference}}
|-
| Jowai || ST || Tylli Kyndiah || {{Full party name with color|Independent (politician)}}
|-
| Mawhati || ST || Martin N. Majaw || {{Full party name with color|Independent (politician)}}
|-
| Umroi || ST || Evansius Kek Mawlong || {{Full party name with color|Independent (politician)}}
|-
| Nongpoh || ST || D. Dethwelson Lapang || {{Full party name with color|Indian National Congress}}
|-
| Jirang || ST || Snomick Kalwing || {{Full party name with color|Indian National Congress}}
|-
| Mairang || ST || Fuller Lyngdoh Mawnai || {{Full party name with color|Hill State People's Democratic Party}}
|-
| Nongspung || ST || Winstone Syiemiong || {{Full party name with color|Hill State People's Democratic Party}}
|-
| Sohiong || ST || Medras Mylliem || {{Full party name with color|Hill State People's Democratic Party}}
|-
| Mylliem || ST || Lambourine Kharlukhi || {{Full party name with color|Hill State People's Democratic Party}}
|-
| Malki-nongthymmai || ST || Upstar Kharbuli || {{Full party name with color|Indian National Congress}}
|-
| Laitumkharah || ST || Peter Garnette Marbaniang || {{Full party name with color|Indian National Congress}}
|-
| Pynthorumkhrah || None || B. K. Roy || {{Full party name with color|Indian National Congress}}
|-
| Jaiaw || ST || P. Ripple Kyndiah || {{Full party name with color|All Party Hill Leaders Conference}}
|-
| Mawkhar || ST || D. D. Pugh || {{Full party name with color|All Party Hill Leaders Conference}}
|-
| Mawprem || None || Dhrubanath Joshi || {{Full party name with color|Indian National Congress}}
|-
| Laban || None || Bhaskar Choudhury || {{Full party name with color|Indian National Congress}}
|-
| Mawlai || ST || Stanlington D. Khongwir || {{Full party name with color|Hill State People's Democratic Party}}
|-
| Sohryngkham || ST || Grosswell Mylliemngap || {{Full party name with color|All Party Hill Leaders Conference}}
|-
| Dienglieng || ST || Jungai Khongjoh || {{Full party name with color|Indian National Congress}}
|-
| Nongkrem || ST || Dominic Roblin Nongkhynrih || {{Full party name with color|Independent (politician)}}
|-
| Lyngkyrdem || ST || Brington Buhai Lyngdoh || {{Full party name with color|All Party Hill Leaders Conference}}
|-
| Nongshken || ST || Maham Singh || {{Full party name with color|Indian National Congress}}
|-
| Sohra || ST || Phaindrojen Swer || {{Full party name with color|All Party Hill Leaders Conference}}
|-
| Shella || ST || Stanley D.d.nichols Roy || {{Full party name with color|All Party Hill Leaders Conference}}
|-
| Mawsynram || ST || Karadoklie E. Tariang || {{Full party name with color|Hill State People's Democratic Party}}
|-
| Mawkyrwat || ST || Rowell Lyngdoh || {{Full party name with color|Hill State People's Democratic Party}}
|-
| Pariong || ST || Tubarlin Lyngdoh || {{Full party name with color|Hill State People's Democratic Party}}
|-
| Nongstoin || ST || Endro Lawphniaw || {{Full party name with color|Hill State People's Democratic Party}}
|-
| Langrin || ST || Bakstarwell Wanniang || {{Full party name with color|Hill State People's Democratic Party}}
|-
| Mawthengkut || ST || Ledishon Nongsiang || {{Full party name with color|Hill State People's Democratic Party}}
|-
| Baghmara || ST || Williamson A. Sangma || {{Full party name with color|Indian National Congress}}
|-
| Rongrenggiri || ST || Albinstone M. Sangma || {{Full party name with color|Indian National Congress}}
|-
| Rongjeng || ST || Pleander G. Momin || {{Full party name with color|Indian National Congress}}
|-
| Kharkutta || ST || Prithington Sangma || {{Full party name with color|Indian National Congress}}
|-
| Mendipathar || ST || Beninstand G. Momin || {{Full party name with color|All Party Hill Leaders Conference}}
|-
| Resubelpara || ST || Salseng Marak || {{Full party name with color|Indian National Congress}}
|-
| Songsak || ST || Miriam D.shira || {{Full party name with color|Independent (politician)}}
|-
| Bajengdoba || ST || Grohonsing Marak || {{Full party name with color|Indian National Congress}}
|-
| Tikrikilla || ST || Jagendranath Bantha || {{Full party name with color|Independent (politician)}}
|-
| Dadenggiri || ST || Bronson Momin || {{Full party name with color|All Party Hill Leaders Conference}}
|-
| Rongchugiri || ST || M. Reidson Momin || {{Full party name with color|Indian National Congress}}
|-
| Phulbari || None || Akramozzaman || {{Full party name with color|Indian National Congress}}
|-
| Rajabala || ST || Mozibur Rahman || {{Full party name with color|Independent (politician)}}
|-
| Selsella || ST || Girash Marak || {{Full party name with color|All Party Hill Leaders Conference}}
|-
| Rongram || ST || Crunden S. Sangma || {{Full party name with color|All Party Hill Leaders Conference}}
|-
| Tura || ST || Singjan Sangma || {{Full party name with color|Indian National Congress}}
|-
| Chokpot || ST || Jackman Marak || {{Full party name with color|All Party Hill Leaders Conference}}
|-
| Kherapara || ST || Alfrien Marak || {{Full party name with color|All Party Hill Leaders Conference}}
|-
| Dalu || ST || Mukul Das || {{Full party name with color|Independent (politician)}}
|-
| Dalamgiri || ST || Armison Marak || {{Full party name with color|All Party Hill Leaders Conference}}
|-
| Rangsakona || ST || Jendew Ch. Marak || {{Full party name with color|All Party Hill Leaders Conference}}
|-
| Ampatigiri || ST || Bhadreswar Koch || {{Full party name with color|Indian National Congress}}
|-
| Salmanpura || ST || Meckenson K.sangma || {{Full party name with color|Independent (politician)}}
|-
| Mahendraganj || None || Manik Ch. Das || {{Full party name with color|Indian National Congress}}
|-
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Meghalaya elections}}

{{#seo:
|keywords=State Assembly elections in Meghalaya, 1970s in Meghalaya
|description=
}}

[[Category:1978 State Assembly elections in India|Meghalaya]]
[[Category:State Assembly elections in Meghalaya]]
[[Category:1970s in Meghalaya]]