The Congress has become the single largest party in Meghalaya with its candidate winning the by-election to the Ampati Assembly constituency by a margin of 3,191 votes on Thursday.

The Congress now has 21 seats and the National People’s Party (NPP) 20.

The seat had fallen vacant after former Chief Minister Mukul M. Sangma gave it up while retaining Songsak, one of the two constituencies he had won in the February elections. His 27-old-daughter Miani D. Shira retained the seat for the Congress.

Ms. Shira received 14,259 votes while her nearest rival Clement G. Momin of the NPP bagged 11,068. Independent candidate Subhankar Koch mustered 360 votes, 152 more than NOTA or none of the above.

Of the 24,181 voters in Ampati, 90.42% cast their votes on May 28.

The ballot battle for Ampati was a race between the Congress and NPP to be the single largest party in the hill State. Before Thursday’s result, both parties were tied at 20 seats in the 60-member Assembly.

The NPP heads a coalition government with the BJP and other regional parties.

The United Democratic Party has six seats, the People’s Democratic Front four, the BJP and the Hill State People’s Democratic Party two each and the Nationalist Congress Party and the Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement one each. The House has three Independents.

“This victory has increased my responsibility. I hope to carry on with the good work that my father has done,” Ms. Shira said after the result was announced.

A “family seat”

Though Ampati has been a “family seat,” Ms. Shira had a tougher time than her father, Mr. Sangma, who won the seat in the February 27 polls by a margin of 8,104 votes.

A graduate from Delhi’s Shri Ram College of Commerce, Ms. Shira had declared assets worth ₹8.9 crore — more than that of her parents. Her mother, Dikkanchi D. Shira is a Congress MLA from the Mahendraganj Assembly seat.

Among her assets are five vehicles, including a Jeep Compass. Her husband, Daryl William Ch. Momin, owns three cars and a Harley Davidson motorcycle.