By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Though there are no dearth of leaders among all the contesting political parties in the State, the, fate of several stalwarts in Garo Hills will be decided by the February 23 polls.
For Garo Hills leader, PA Sangma who launched the Nationalist People’s Party, this election is a do or die battle as the voters will decide whether he is still supreme in Garo Hills or his popularity has declined.
Though PA Sangma is not contesting this election, his influence in the region can still change the political equations.
His sons Conrad Sangma and James Sangma and many more NPP candidates are in the race to retain their seats.
If PA Sangma fails to make any impact, then, this will pave the way for the resurgence of the Congress.
After PA Sangma, the Congress leader and present Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has emerged as the next leader.
Mukul is hoping to come back as the next Chief Minister after the Assembly polls provided he gets majority win of Congress candidates who are contesting from all the 24 seats in Garo Hills.
If he fails to get the maximum Congress seats from Garo Hills, his continuance as Chief Minister may not materialize as his rival from Ri-Bhoi, MPCC president DD Lapang may stake claim for leadership.
The major problem for the Congress to win a reasonable number of seats in Garo Hills is the denial of tickets to many Congress aspirants who now are contesting either as independents or from Samajwadi Party.
Samajwadi Party is poised to open an account in Garo Hills with its leaders, Augustine Marak, Brening Sangma, Manirul Islam Sarkar and Nithuram Hajong trying all out to win from their respective constituencies. For MPCC working president Deborah Marak and former Chief Minister SC Marak, this election is very crucial as they are trying to stage a comeback, after their bitter defeat in the last elections.