By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Congress would have secured majority on its own if the party had given tickets to at least two sitting legislators in Garo Hills.
The Congress tally stopped at 29 in the recently concluded Assembly election in the State, two seats short of securing a simple majority to form the Government on its own.
Sitting Congress legislators, Saleng Sangma and Samuel Sangma were denied tickets by the party, following which they contested as Independents to retain their seats at Gambegre and Baghmara respectively winning by a good margin of over 3,000 votes.
The former Minister, Saleng, also proved Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma wrong by retaining his seat.
Soon after being denied the party ticket, Saleng had
displeasure over his style of functioning.
However, in the changed scenario after the just concluded Assembly elections, Mukul has no other choice than to consult seniors before taking any major decisions.
Moreover, the critique of Mukul, working president of MPCC Deborah Marak, is also back at the helm of affairs after her win from Williamnagar. She was defeated in 2008 elections.
Marak said that have been many changes in politics during his absence in the last two terms.
According to him, various initiatives of the political leaders, who ruled the State for the last 10 years, have helped to bring development only to an extent.
“There are still areas of improvement and the need of the hour is to provide a transparent, clean and accountable governance to achieve the target of proper development”, he added.
come on record by saying that he would prove the decision of Mukul to not allot him the ticket as wrong. Saleng lived up to what he said by defeating Congress candidate Besterfield Sangma at Gambegre.
Similarly, Samuel was also unhappy over Mukul’s decision to deny him the ticket.
Samuel defeated the Congress candidate, Lazarus Sangma with a margin of 3587 votes at Baghmara.