SHILLONG: A confident Chief Minister Mukul Sangma on Friday predicted a 2-0 win for the Congress in the Lok Sabha polls in the State.
“We are confident of winning both the seats as people have responded to our appeal. While we will retain the Shillong seat, we will also win the Tura seat,” Sangma told reporters here on Friday.
According to the Chief Minister, the voters have turned out in large numbers in several Assembly segments under the Tura Lok Sabha seat which reflects the enthusiasm of the voters in seeking a change.
Asked whether the credit will go to him if the Congress wins both the seats, Sangma said, “All of us worked hard and I thank the legislators, party men and those who associated with us.”
To a question on why he did not campaign for the Congress candidate Vincent Pala, the Chief Minister said that he was too busy in Garo Hills with the election campaign.
“Those were busy days. Look at my face and you can make out,” Sangma said.
The Chief Minister also argued that MPCC president DD Lapang, deputy chief ministers Rowell Lyngdoh and RC Laloo, and several Congress MLAs had actively campaigned Khasi Hills for the party candidate from the Shillong seat.
Replying to a query on the ‘death wish’ comments made by him against his rival Purno A Sangma, the Chief Minister said that it was only a metaphor which is part of the Garo literature and his rivals had misinterpreted it. “There was no mudslinging in the elections. But the opponents misinterpreted what I had said,” the Chief Minister said.
Sangma also said that the party will reply to the Election Commission on the violation of model code of conduct for using the chopper during the poll campaigns in Garo Hills.
The Chief Minister also downplayed the presence of any Modi wave in the country by saying that the Congress will neutralize it by way of aggressive campaigns.
