TURA: A hamlet under Kharkutta constituency in East Garo Hills holds the key to the rise of Purno Sangma’s victory prompting the late leader to call it Chenanggre, which literally means a place for the victory.
The senior Sangma would always start his election campaign from Adokgre and won elections to the Lok Sabha nine times.
Following in the footsteps of the founder member, the National People’s Party (NPP) chose the same hamlet on Saturday to begin its election campaign in Garo Hills.
“I will continue to keep the tradition of our founder alive,” said NPP national president and son Conrad amid applause from the 3,000-odd gathering at a public rally in the village.
The party’s first day of the Garo Hills campaign saw the joining of former Assembly speaker Elstone D Marak and his supporters.
Welcoming Marak, the NPP chief reiterated about the “winds of change” in the state “as people are keen to oust the Congress and bring NPP to power”.
The junior Sangma told the gathering that NPP would usher in all-round development for the state and appealed to the people to vote overwhelmingly for his party.
Marak said only the NPP can steer the state in the direction of development and praised Conrad for his leadership and vision.
A host of senior NPP leaders, including Dadenggre legislator James K Sangma, Damas MDC Dolly K Sangma, former MLA Timothy D Shira and Khakutta NPP candidate Rupert Momin, also took part in the rally
Kharkutta is currently held by Congress MLA Cherak W Momin.
Introducing Rupert Momin, who is the NPP candidate from Kharkutta Constituency, Conrad said, “He is young and dynamic and has a vision for Kharkutta to make it a model Constituency of Meghalaya”.
He told the crowd that the political scenario in Meghalaya was changing and the Congress has lost its ground.
“The dreams of our forefathers, Captain Williamson Sangma and Purno Sangma, have not been realised. We have to reverse the trend and take the state to its highest pedestal of growth and development,” he said and lashed out at Chief Minister for “false promises”.
Talking about education, Conrad said, “Eighty per cent of the teachers in schools of Meghalaya are not provided any training by the Government. It is a sad scenario that our schools have no proper infrastructure. Many primary schools exist on paper while those that exist have no teachers. The system is dead and not working.”
