Lok Sabha by-election to decide fate of Late Purno’s party
SHILLONG: The upcoming by-poll to the Tura Lok Sabha seat will be a litmus test for Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and the NPP formed by late political stalwart P.A. Sangma as the election result will provide a signal to the prospect of both the Congress and the NPP in the 2018 Assembly polls.
The election will also indicate whether the chief minister has emerged as the undisputed leader of the State.
With the death of Garo Hills strongman P.A. Sangma on March 4, the chief minister is now seen as the undisputed leader of Meghalaya by his supporters.
When asked recently whether he would subscribe to the view that he has emerged as the undisputed leader in Garo Hills and the entire State after the death of P.A. Sangma, the chief minister did not give any direct reply, but only said that he is trying to complete the agenda set by the party and the government to fulfill the aspirations of the people of Meghalaya.
A senior Congress leader said the recent announcement of the chief minister in the Budget regarding the creation of more police stations, civil sub divisions and blocks will boost the image of the party in Garo Hills.
Moreover, the State government is also waiting for an opportune moment before the announcement of the by-poll to organize the formal disbanding ceremony of the UALA outfit.
As far as the NPP is concerned, the future of the party will be decided after the Tura by-poll.
NPP sources said that though sympathy towards P.A. Sangma may help the party to win the by-poll, the party will have to work hard to strengthen its base to increase the tally of its legislators in the 2018 Assembly polls from the current two.
However, an added advantage for the NPP currently is that the GHADC is being ruled by an NPP led coalition.
The newly elected NPP national president Conrad Sangma recently said other political parties except the Congress have extended support to NPP as far as fielding a common candidate to be decided by the family of late P.A. Sangma.
The Congress is yet to decide the name of its candidate for the Tura seat.