From Our Correspondent
TURA: Former minister and sitting MLA from Chokpot Masonsing M. Sangma passed away at Tura Christian Hospital here on Tuesday at around 12.15am . He was 63.
Sangma was admitted to the hospital on Monday soon after he suffered a stroke.
Born on April 19, 1949 at Sibbari in South Garo Hills, Sangma began his stint in politics in 1983 when he unsuccessfully contested Assembly elections that year.
Later in 1993 he got elected on a Congress ticket and was made the Minister for Transport, Labour, Soil Conservation and Industries.
Thereafter, he joined the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and was elected to the State Assembly from Chokpot for two consecutive terms — 2003 and 2008.
Earlier, Sangma, who was employed in Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), quit the job to join the Garo Graduates’ Union, the Garo Students’ Union and other NGOs.
He also served as the Editor of Garo magazine “Chadambeni Ku’rang”. He, along with former Lok Sabha Speaker, Purno A. Sangma, also served as a teacher in a school run by the Garo Graduates’ Union.
Meanwhile, National People’s Party’s (NPP) state unit expressed profound shock and grief at the sudden and untimely demise of Sangma.
The party recalled the service and commitment of the legislator to the party in general and people in the constituency in particular, the party said in a statement.
The party offered its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.
