Shillong Oct 29: Match fixing did not happen only in sports, but in electoral politics too.

This has happened during the bye election to Shella Assembly constituency where the Congress has attributed its debacle to ‘match fixing.’

When reporters asked about the defeat of the Congress in the bye election in Shella, Leader of Opposition and Congress leader, Dr Mukul Sangma said, “There was match fixing somewhere and we are trying to find it out.”

The Congress could not win as its candidate, Batyngshaiñ Ryngnga came fourth and polled only 1,715 votes.

The UDP retained the Shella seat in the bye election held on October 21.

Balajied Synrem, the son of former chief minister and former Speaker, late Donkupar Roy won the bye election and polled 12,002 votes.

He defeated Independent candidate, Grace Mary Kharpuri by a margin of 6221 votes.

Kharpuri polled 5,781 votes.

The Shella seat was held by Donkupar Roy for 31 years, since 1988.

Dr Mukul also said that rumours that spread in Shella that the Congress candidate has surrendered, has also affected the party in the bye election.

He termed ‘match fixing’ a matter of concern in democracy and electoral politics.

Stating that the Congress has not won from Shella since inception of the state in 1972, Mukul said that the party has put sincere effort to build the party in Shella.

“There are still many corrective measures that we have to take,” he said.