One is representing the youth and promises innovation while the other is a time tested veteran politician who offers experience. This election for Tura Lok Sabha seat is a contrast between two individuals from two different backgrounds with one hoping to make a mark in politics on his first attempt while the other is on the doorsteps of making history by winning for a record tenth time from Tura.
    The young Daryl William Cheran Momin of the Congress and the seasoned Purno Agitok Sangma of the NPP spoke at length with The Shillong Times about their their dreams and aspirations to bring about a change to Garo Hills.
    This is what they had to say……….

‘Hope to get record margin this time’

Q. Returning to electoral politics after a gap of six years, how do you look back to the past? Do you feel any threat from the Congress this time especially from Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, since you have only two MLAs in Garo Hills after the 2013 Assembly polls?
A: Not at all, neither from Congress nor from Mukul Sangma. Mukul has contested twice against me and his brother once against Agatha. Parliamentary elections are always different from assembly elections. In assembly elections people want to have their own choice of candidates and normally they tell me frankly ‘Sir, you don’t mind we are going according to our choice.’ In parliamentary election there is just one member to be elected and traditionally the Garo Hills vote has gone one way- for me. And this time also it’s going to be similar and in fact even more. I hope to make a record margin this time.
Q. Despite having only two MLAs?
A: Yes.
Q. You have changed parties on various occasions, from the Congress to NCP, to NTC to NPP. Do you think this has affected your image and polls prospects? There are accusations by Chief Minister Mukul Sangma against you for changing loyalties.
A: I have changed parties not for my personal benefit, not to secure posts, not to get any position. I have changed parties on principle. I did not come out of the Congress, when I wanted a discussion in the working committee (CWC), and where the state president should be invited to discuss, whether Sonia Gandhi should be considered for Prime Ministership or not, I was expelled. So we went on to form the NCP with Sharad Pawar and Tariq Anwar.
When we formed NCP, Sharad Pawar had decided to go along with the Congress again. I objected to that and which is why I had to join the Trinamool (AITC) because at that time it was a necessity to get the symbol. I returned to the NCP because the people were uncomfortable with the Trinamool Congress.
And, when I stood for the Presidential election in the country I had expected Sharad Pawar to support me. He did not. So I had to resign. In any case any presidential candidate has to resign from the party. Pranab Mukherjee resigned from the Congress and I resigned from the NCP and formed a new party.
So on no occasion have I changed parties for my personal benefits. In fact it was sacrifice on many occasions.
Q. There are indications your new party NPP could merge with the BJP if the latter comes to power at the Centre?
A: Never.
Q. What were the development initiatives for Garo Hills after you won nine times from Tura? There are allegations from the opponents that Garo Hills is still backward since you have not done anything visible to ensure speedy development.
A: Let the people look at the national highways. Let the people look at the railways, a beautiful town is coming up in Mendipather. Let the people look at the Jengjal Airport. Let the people look at how rubber plantation is going on, how the tea and coffee plantations are going on.
Let them look at NEHU campus. With great difficulty I brought it, how many Garos have become post graduates and doctorates, let them be counted.
Let them look at the College of Home Science which is a campus of the Central Agriculture University. Let them look at the work Coal India has done.
You know people criticize me asking what P. A. Sangma has done from what venue? The venue is MP stadium which was built by me. Are they absolutely blind to see what I have given for Garo Hills?
The kind of infrastructure I have brought in, 14 college buildings and not one has been built by the government of Meghalaya. I have built more than hundred secondary school buildings all over Garo Hills. You go to any village and iIf you see a good school building you go and look at the signboard. It will show MPLAD scheme.
There is not a single building from the Meghalaya government, what are they talking about? I have put all the details down in a booklet called ‘Talatani’ which is open for all to read and see the truth.
Q.  What is your agenda for the polls? Why is Garoland demand being revived once again? Last year you had said it was not feasible?
A: I never said Garoland was not feasible. What I said then was that it was not the time. Time was not right then to go all out for a separate state. Now that Telangana has been given and all those areas where people are wanting a separate state and they have started gearing up themselves and that will happen after elections in many parts of the country. So, this is the right time for Garoland because I expect the next government to set up a second States Reorganization Commission and we have to be ready to put our case before the commission. And if Garoland is given I know it will be economically viable because of the kind of minerals, natural resources and plantations we have which will boost the economy of the new state.
Q. If elected what are your plans for the next five years for Tura and what role you will play at the Centre?
A: I have a dream to beautify Tura town. The MPLAD Scheme gives Rs. 5 crore per year, so even if I spent 2 crore for Tura which belongs to every citizen of Garo Hills I don’t think people will mind. The remaining 3 crore I will distribute for development of the rural areas. But in five years’ time Tura will be beautiful.
Q. Can you be more specific about the beautification project for Tura?
A: I have a plan to construct a dam over the Ringrey river just above the Govt Girls Higher Secondary School, an overbridge from Chandmari old post office up to the old Civil Surgeon’s residence. People who are staying next to Ringrey stream will be settled in the housing complex coming up at Megong bazaar because it is meant for them. I took the initiative of building an alternative accommodation for those who are going to be evicted from the affected area. So, adequate compensation will be given and they have been consulted on it. Soon, we will have a mini Ward’s Lake in Tura. I am already in touch with the power department and even paid the money for removal of the transformers. The whole project report has been done by the Urban Affairs Department.
I will also push for more plantations, fisheries and special emphasis on vegetable growing because we have to depend on outside supply.
Q. But Meghalaya is already having its own project called IBDLP in which aquaculture is being taken up?
A: I don’t know whether they are doing it for fish or they are doing it for dry fish.
Q.  Do you think a change at the Centre will bring about a change in state politics?
A: Yes, of course. It will.
Q. Your opponent banks on the lineage of first Chief Minister of Meghalaya Capt. WA Sangma since he is the grandson. Don’t you think your associations with him were more noteworthy? Also how do you rate your opponent?
A: My blessings and my sympathy are with Daryl. I met him once and I found him very bright. As you have rightly said he comes from a renowned political family of the state and is the grandson of Captain Sangma. So, he has a future.
But what is happening in India today with all kinds of corruption, with all kinds of mis-governance, non-governance and the kind of problem Garo Hills is facing today – undergrounds, kidnappings, killings. The law and order situation is the worst. It’s the third worst in the world. First is Afghanistan, second is Pakistan and third is India. And the reports say third in India refers to Garo Hills.
So, this is a time where the situation in India and the situation in Meghalaya and Garo Hills have to be tackled by a person who has adequate experience in governance, who knows the Parliament of India, the Government of India and who knows international agencies. I don’t underestimate him (Daryl), but it’s not easy for a new person to tackle this particular situation, that’s why his entry into politics at this juncture by contesting the Lok Sabha elections is a little premature. Otherwise he has a bright future.
Q. How do you assess the performance of the sitting MP from Tura Agatha Sangma? Do you think she should have performed better if she had remained in the UPA ministry?  What compelled her to leave UPA?
A: I think she has done her best. Being a Minister of State (MoS) in the Government of India is not easy. It depends on who is your boss. If your senior minister is good they allot some work. I was very fortunate to be a MoS under a minister like N D Tiwari who use to give me a lot of work. I enjoyed that work and I learned. I was very happy to work under V P Singh who later on went to become Prime minister. These ministers helped me a lot. But there are ministers who don’t care for MoS and they don’t allot any work. Agatha Sangma suffered from that and she was not given an opportunity to perform in the ministry she was given because she was not allotted any work.
Performance in Parliament she could not show much because being a minister it was very difficult for her.
So, this time she herself has opted out because she herself has realized that even after six years as a Member of Parliament she feels she is not good enough to tackle the present problem of Garo Hills. It requires a more mature and experienced leader. So, she herself has said at the party meeting ‘I’m not good enough, I can do developmental work, I can do MP schemes but when it comes to tackling a critical situation that India is facing, especially Garo Hills, I am not confident about myself. Therefore let this problem be tackled by an experienced person.’That’s how she opted out. It’s a sacrifice.
Q: What is your vision for a better Garo Hills?
A: My vision for a better Garo Hills is a Garoland. We have to have a separate identity, a separate state and compete with the rest of India in all spheres and Garos are capable of doing that if given an opportunity. We will give our young people enough opportunities to build the new state.
Q: Your comments on the insurgency scenario in Garo Hills and how can a solution be arrived at?
A: That is why I have given a call that they (militants) should come out and discard violence and go democratically and peacefully. And if they agree on that then underground and over-ground can combine and with one voice we say we want Garoland and Government of India has to listen. Now if they (militants) respond to my call and join us by discarding their arms, that is the best situation that is going to happen. Suppose for any reason that does not happen, I am going ahead with the Garo State Movement, with them or without them.
Q. Will money power play a big role in this election for the prestigious Tura seat?
A: For money power, the Congress and Mukul Sangma are very fond of this game. But money power works to a great extent in the assembly and district council elections where the segments are small. But I don’t think money will play that kind of a role in the parliamentary elections. How do they reach each and every voter throughout the five districts? So I’m not afraid of that. Let them spend the money because they will give to the local leaders who will not pass it on to the voters. I’m not scared of that.
Q. So many miners were killed in coal mines in Garo Hills due to unscientific mining . Tree felling and deforestations are also rampant.  What would be your initiatives to protect the environment in this regard?   Is it an election issue?
A: I am clearly worried and very much concerned over the unscientific mining that is going on in Garo Hills, Khasi and Jaintia Hills. That was the reason why I brought the Coal India, I brought CMPDI which is a research institute on the mines without affecting the rights of the local people to have their private mines.
My intention was that they should be taught how to adopt scientific mining. That is why I brought Coal India to show them physically how it can be done. Therefore Coal India had a lease for coal mining. Unfortunately, the present government has refused to renew the lease which is a fact. Now, who is going to teach the miners here? Which agency the Government of Meghalaya is thinking of who can teach how to do scientific mining?
Coal India is the only institution and organization which can do it. No other agency can do it. And yet Meghalaya Government did not realize this. They never think how important this is. But, the moment we are in a position to do it we will do it.
Q. Do you endorse mud-slinging nature of the campaign?  Your comments about the ‘death wish  remark’ against you made  by Chief Minister?
A: Hahaha! Don’t bother about it. No comments. Let him say whatever he wants to say, I’ll go ahead with my plans and programmes, let the people judge.
Q. you continue to remain silent despite so much being said against you by the Chief Minister Mukul Sangma. Is this a sign of defeat or worry?
A: Worry? What worry? There is no question of worry from my side. How do you react to people who do not have any standard, any manners? I have no way to react to this kind of things. Reacting from intellectual to intellectual is very easy, but between intellectual to ignorant how can you react? (laughs)

‘Everyone has his time and my time has come’

Q: How do you feel about your entry into politics?
A: Feeling good since you know when you first step in you feel excited, mixed feelings are there. But of course I’m looking at the brighter side because I’m looking forward to serve the people.
Q. Who asked you to contest, the Chief Minister, parents or was it your own choice?
A: It was my own choice. Why I would say this is because you know when you don’t have that self desire you can never do things properly. It has to come from within to start off. If someone forces you then your action would be different from what you want to do.
Q.There was the name of Cabinet Minister Zenith Sangma cleared first by AICC. What was your reaction when your name did not figure initially? What was the reason?
A: When initially I got the news that my name did not come out I thought well and good because whosoever got the ticket well and good because it is within the party. No matter who gets the ticket we’ll still fight for it because it is all from the same family which is the Congress Party. Regarding the reason AICC would have the answers for that.
Q. Why had you not been associated with the Congress earlier though you are the grandson of Captain Williamson Sangma, the first Chief Minister of Meghalaya?
A: I was associated with the Congress but not directly, not with the office affairs, but whenever there was something relating to the Congress, coordination, small work, I use to help. And most of the time I was also out and not permanently in until a few years back.
Q. What do you know about Captain Williamson Sangma?
A: Since I was very small when he passed away what I heard was that he loved the people so much that he served them all his life by being with them and that is something a leader should have. If you don’t love something that you do you will never succeed and I’m sure he was a successful politician. That’s why he has a name.
Q. Being the youngest candidate, do you think that you would be able to get maximum votes from the youths under Tura Lok Sabha constituency?
A: Yes, because only the youth will understand the youths and as everyone knows the youth votes are the maximum and right now the youth have to be looked after because only they know the problem of the youth.
Q. How do you rate your opponent PA Sangma who is much older than you? Are you not scared to take on him?
A: He is just a person I would say, of course, a great leader who has been there in this field for long but everything has its time and my time has come. And it’s for the people to decide who they want right now.
Q. Do you think that PA Sangma after getting elected for nine times from Tura has done enough for the development of Garo Hills?
A: Maybe things could have been better, he could have done more for the rank which he had and the position he held at one point. But I would not like to comment because that’s his experience and I was not in his shoes. He would know better and it’s for the people to judge.
Q. What is your agenda for the elections?
A: My main agenda would be something on education and the youth and uplift of the economy and the society. Of course there is also the party agenda. I would also like to look into issues that are specific to an area such as employment generation and economic upliftment which is self-sustaining.
Q. What would be your plan of action for Garo Hills if you are elected?
A: If I do get elected the first thing I would do is visit all the places again and thank the people and of course understand their problems, because only when you visit the places and you know the people you understand their problems And if you don’t understand the problem you can never solve a problem.
Q.What is your suggestions to end insurgency in Garo Hills?
A: See, when you look at insurgency you should also look at the root cause as to why insurgency is happening. To solve this matter you have to go to the root cause. You have to see the people who go there as well. You have to catch them before they go and also understand their problems and its mainly the youths who go into insurgency and maybe it’s because of lack of guidance, lack of job opportunities and I believe if one can focus on these and bring opportunities for the people this can also be solved.
Q. Do you think the demand for a separate Garo state is an issue in this election?
A: I won’t say it is an issue in this election why because the Garoland state issue is confined to state affairs and the MP is confined to Central affairs. So until and unless the state takes up the matter the MP cannot take any action.
Q: Do you feel it is a majority seeking Garoland state or just a handful?
A: It is up to the people to decide.
Q. You have completed higher studies abroad since you could afford it. How will you ensure the education for the poor in Garo Hills?
A: Education is already a focus of the government, it’s just that I have to carry forward and make sure every programme which is being organized in Garo Hills is taken up properly. Already there are a lot of programmes and schemes which are focused on education and my role would be to ensure its implementation so that it fulfills its purpose for the people.
Q. There are reports that the Chief Minister preferred your name to contest Tura seat since you are his would be son in law. Would you comment?
A: No comments.
Q. Will you ensure environment protection in the wake of unscientific coal mining which   resulted in the death of many miners in Garo Hills? Is it an election issue?
A: This is something which any leader should take up. A leader’s job is to look after the people. So whenever there is a problem a leader has to look into it. So this issue is not something new. Issues will be there but is about how you can tackle it. See if you take up just one issue just for an election agenda that’s just trying to get a thing for yourself. But there are a lot of issues happening as of now. Why not focus on that as well. So this is just a general issue and if there is a need to focus on that I would focus on that.
Q. Why have you decided to contest straight for Parliament and not tried your hand first from the assembly or the district council?
A: Why straight to Parliament? I would just say it’s my time. You have questioned me about my youth but being a youth has its advantages. I have always pointed it out in my speeches as well. I have the power to go each and every corner of Garo Hills, I have the desire to work and this desire can take me to each and every corner of Garo Hills which normally MPs don’t do. Until and unless you see the problems with your own eyes, feel it, you cannot serve the people.