TURA/SHILLONG: The National People’s Party (NPP) of Late P A Sangma has selected his younger son and party president Conrad K Sangma to contest the by-election for the Tura Lok Sabha seat which fell vacant following the sudden death of his father and sitting MP on March 4 last.
The candidature of Conrad Sangma was declared after a high level meeting of the party at the residence of Late P A Sangma in Tura on Friday.
During the meeting, which was chaired by former Rajya Sabha MP Thomas A Sangma, the name of Conrad K Sangma was proposed by his mother Mrs Soradini K Sangma and unanimously accepted by the rest of the party leaders present.
Among those present at the meeting to decide on Conrad’s candidature were sitting NPP MLAs Nihim D Shira and elder brother James K Sangma, former union minister of state and Conrad’s younger sister Agatha K Sangma, former NPP legislators Marcus Marak, Omillo K Sangma and a host of other party members.
“The name of our party’s national president Conrad Sangma has been declared after it was unanimously accepted by all the members present at the meeting,” informed elder brother and current Dadenggre legislator James Pangsang K Sangma.
The NPP will officially kick off their election campaign from Adokgre village in North Garo Hills on Monday.
The ruling Congress has already nominated Chief Minister Mukul Sangma’s wife and legislator Dikkanchi Shira to contest the by-poll.
Conrad Sangma is expected to file his nomination papers before the returning officer in Tura by the 27th of this month. He is a former MLA from Selsella and was also finance minister of the state.
The election for the Tura Lok Sabha seat is slated for the 16th of next month and is expected to be a multi-cornered contest given that several parties and independent candidates have been expressing their willingness to fight the polls. The state Congress leadership has forwarded the name of chief minister Mukul Sangma’s wife Dikkanchi D Shira to the AICC in New Delhi for approval.
Earlier NPP leadership y expressed confidence and faith in the able leadership of Conrad Sangma and assured him of their full support. The Party also made an appeal to the people of Garo hills to join hands, to come together and express solidarity in the memory of late P A Sangma.
Tura By poll is heading for a straight fight between the Congress and the NPP. Conrad Sangma admitted that it will be a direct fight between Congress and NPP.
GNC keen to contest
Meanwhile, the Garo National Council (GNC) party which propagates a separate Garo state is also toying with the idea of contesting the by-election.
Speaking to The Shillong Times in Tura, deputy chief executive member in the GHADC and sitting GNC MDC Augustine Marak said that there is a proposal from party workers to contest but no decision has been taken.
“No decision has been taken on whether to contest the by-election. We are meeting on Monday at the residence of GNC president Kalpana Sangma to discuss the issue,” stated Augustine Marak. GNC sources indicate that if the party does decide to join the contest they would probably field Garo Hills State Movement Committee chairman Nikman Ch Marak given that both the GNC and the GHSMC are jointly seeking a political solution to the demand for a Garoland state. Nikman is also a former student leader of the Tura Government College Students Union (TGCSU).
