Meghalaya polls 2023: Who is Ernest Mawrie? Man leading BJP’s charge in poll-bound state

Voting for the Meghalaya Assembly Election 2023 to elect the new Legislative Assembly of 60 members will be held on February 27 this year and results will be declared on March 2. In 2018, the National People's Party (NPP) and the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) came together to form a government in Meghalaya. However, both parties have now decided to contest the 2023 election independently. 

Meghalaya BJP president Ernest Mawrie is leading the saffron party's charge in the poll-bound state. He is among the most prominent faces of the party in the state. The BJP, which won just two seats in the last Assembly election, has fielded candidates in all 60 constituencies.

Who is Ernest Mawrie? 

• Ernest Mawrie was elected as the president of BJP's Meghalaya unit in January 2020.
• The 51-year-old completed his schooling at St. Anthony's College in Shillong in 1991.
• He fought the 2018 Meghalaya election from the Nongthymmai Assembly seat but could not win. The seat was won by Charles Pyngrope of Congress.
• Ernest Mawrie is contesting the 2023 Meghalaya Assembly election from the West Shillong constituency.
• The Meghalaya BJP chief filed his nomination on February 6. He is a resident of the Lumbatngen Law-u-sib village in the East Khasi Hills district.

'BJP in Meghalaya will get the magic number in double digits to form the govt': Ernest Mawrie

Earlier on February 12, Meghalaya BJP president Ernest Mawrie exuded confidence in BJP's win in upcoming Assembly elections. While speaking to reporters, Ernest Mawrie said, "This is the first time we are contesting for all 60 seats. We will win more seats, we will have the majority and we will form the government."

He further asserted that this time in Meghalaya, we will form a BJP government. He said that we (BJP) are waiting for the results which will be out on March 2, but till today we have more than 30 seats."So, we are on the path where we will have the magic number in double digits to form the government. We have already given a clear statement that we will form a government with a like-minded party. Those who stand with us in zero tolerance against corruption. We always said that 'Mukt Congress from Meghalaya', now the Congress is no more in Meghalaya. In the upcoming election, Congress will not win.”