SHILLONG: As former Cabinet minister Prestone Tynsong struck a chord with the people of West Garo Hills during a football tournament on Tuesday, his friend-turned-foe Zenith Sangma hit back a day after saying the senior leader did not know anything about the region.
“Poor Prestone Tynsong does not know anything about Garo Hills and he is being misled and spoon-fed by James and Conrad Sangma,” said Zenith on Wednesday.
Tynsong, along with Dadenggre MLA James K Sangma, attended a football tournament at Danakgre under Rangsakona constituency in West Garo Hills on Tuesday. The former spoke a few words in Garo saying he loved the language and would hire a Garo teacher to learn the language so as to be able to speak to the people in their dialect.
“Team work and spirit of the game is very important in football,” said Tynsong, who is a prospective NPP candidate from Pynursla.
The Congress rebel said change would be visible in Garo Hills if people, irrespective of their cultural background, come together and work for the betterment of the society.
James said, “The most senior Congress MLA attending football in Garo Hills means that change is forthcoming in Meghalaya. There has to be teamwork in all spheres of life including politics, so that the spirit of unity can co-exist amongst all of us. Work together is the key mantra for taking Meghalaya forward and we as leaders are committed to deliver the best to champion the cause and aspiration of the people of the state.”
However, Zenith took a jibe at Tynsong and NPP leaders saying Danakgre was part of Tura constituency until delimitation in 2012-13 following which the area was included in Rangsakhona constituency.
“Danakgre was left out and with due respect, late PA Sangma was casting his vote in Danakgre polling station for the last 35-40 years and till the time I became MLA, there was no road to Danakgre,” he said.
Zenith told reporters that a 2-km road was sanctioned, besides a dilapidated school was taken up under the Asian Development Bank scheme and Rs 2.95 crore was sanctioned for the same after he became the MLA adding that even improvement of play ground and sitting gallery has been sanctioned recently.
“After the area became a part of my constituency, they (NPP leaders) are going there and making propaganda that they will do anything for the areas but people in Danakgre and in my consistency are clever enough and they will take the right decision,” Zenith told reporters.
He also alleged that the reason for Tynsong’s NPP entry is not known. “Maybe he (Prestone Tynsong) wants a short cut to become the Chief Minister and maybe he is playing a lottery thinking that it will click,” Zenith added.