SHILLONG: The result of the Tura by-poll has once again indicated that the Purno Sangma dynasty holds an upper hand in its political rivalry against Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and his family.
It was in the 2004 general election that Mukul Sangma for the first time contested the Lok Sabha polls from Tura against Purno Sangma who was representing the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) after having broken away from the NCP. Purno defeated Mukul by a margin of 72,763 votes.
After the firing incident over issues related to the MBOSE on September 30, 2005 in Garo Hills, Purno resigned as MP and in the by-poll held in 2006, Mukul locked horns yet again with Purno, who, however, retained the seat by a huge margin of 1,01,176 votes.
After Purno contested the 2008 Assembly polls, the seat fell vacant resulting in another by-election in Tura.
This time, the chief minister’s brother Zenith Sangma contested the election against Purno’s daughter, Agatha Sangma representing NCP, but the Congress candidate was defeated by a margin of 99,856 votes.
The Congress managed to give a tough fight to Purno’s family only in the 2009 general election when the party put up Deborah Marak against Agatha Sangma which resulted in Agatha securing a win with a narrow margin of 17,945 votes.
Again in 2014, a close associate of the chief minister, Daryl Momin from the Congress fought against Purno. While Purno emerged the winner securing 2,39,301 votes, Daryl managed 1,99,585 votes.
After winning the election in 2014, the sudden demise of Purno on March 4, 2016 which necessitated the by-poll saw his son Conrad emerging victorious after defeating the chief minister’s wife Dikkanchi D. Shira with a record margin of 1,92,212 votes.
