Shillong Oct 15 (Reporter) The by-election for filling up the Gambegre seat in the Meghalaya Assembly will be held on November 13 and the counting of votes on November 23, an election official said on Tuesday. Chief Electoral Officer, BDR Tiwari said all preparations are being made for the smooth conduct of the polls after the ECI has announced the date. A notification for the by-poll will be issued on October 18 marking the start of the filing of nominations by the contesting candidates and the last date for filing of nominations is October 25. While the scrutiny of nomination papers of the candidates will take place on October 28, the last date for withdrawal of candidatures is October 30. The Gambegre Assembly seat fell vacant after the sitting Congress legislator, Saleng Ampang Sangma vacated the seat following his victory in the 2023 MP elections from Tura parliamentary constituency. The ruling National People's Party (NPP) had already announced Dr. Mehtab Chandee A Sangma, wife of Chief Minister Conrad Kongkal Sangma as the candidate while the opposition, All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) has named Sadhiarani Sangma as its candidate. Sadhiarani is also a member of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC). For the NPP it’s a high stake election as the Chief Minister’s wife Mehtab Chandee would be the official candidate for the seat. Although, the Congress and the BJP, an ally of the NPP in the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance, are yet to officially announced their candidates. However, the name of Jingjang M. Marak, a close aide of Saleng, is likely to be named as the official candidate of Congress, while BJP member of GHADC Bernard N. Marak is already an his electoral campaign in Gambegre assembly constituency . It is still unclear if NPP’s regional allies - the United Democratic Party and Garo National Council - will set up their candidates or extend support to the Chief Minister’s wife. Saleng had represented Gambegre Assembly constituency since 2013 though he was first ever elected as MLA in 2008 on Congress ticket from the erstwhile Dalamgiri Assembly seat. Saleng shifted to Gambegre Assembly constituency in 2013 following the delimitation of Assembly constituencies in the state, and since then, he was elected continuously till the 2023 Assembly elections without tasting defeat...////...