Hers has been a start-from-scratch challenge when it came Hers has been a start-from-scratch challenge when it came to reviving the oldest political party in Garo Hills since her illustrious husband and founder of Garo National Council, Clifford R. Marak, passed away in 2015. The debacle in the Chokpot by-polls that year notwithstanding, Kalpana D. Sangma has not looked back since taking over the mantle of the party as its president.Now, with the Assembly elections just about a month to go, the party has begun mobilising its supporters as it prepares to take on opponents in six Garo Hills constituencies. A shot in the arm has been the entry of chief executive member of Garo Hills Autonomous Demand Council, Boston Ch Marak, into the party, for whom Kalpana has been drumming up support of late in Salmanpara, while simultaneously campaigning for herself in Chokpot.Saurav Bora caught up with the soft-spoken GNC chief on Wednesday afternoon for an exclusive interview. Here are the excerpts:
ST: How are you and your party going to fill the void left by your husband, late Clifford R. Marak?
Kalpana: We had to work hard for revival of the party since my husband passed away in 2015. The Garo Hills Statehood Demand Committee has played an important role in this regard, organising our party. We are trying to expand our presence in Garo Hills. Like, the party had just my husband as the contestant before. But now, we have three MDCs and are putting up candidates in six constituencies in next month’s Assembly elections. Apart from Chokpot, we are contesting in Salmanpara, Gambegre, Siju-Rongara, Baghmara and Mahendraganj.
ST: What went wrong in the 2015 by-elections for Chokpot, a seat which your husband retained for long?
Kalpana: I came third in the Chokpot bypolls, bagging over 5,000 votes. But I did not have the support I should have had then, be it in terms of money or otherwise, which affected my campaigning. The other candidates had spent so much during their campaign…
ST: Will the demand for a separate Garoland, of which your husband was a vocal proponent, be your main agenda for the polls? How will you push for the demand in the event of formation of a non-Congress government?
Kalpana: Yes, it will definitely be the main agenda in the elections. We have raised our demand time and again in Garo Hills and now with support from regional parties such as UDP, KHNAM, PDF and HSPDP in Khasi/Jaintia Hills as well, our job will be that much easier. We hope a non-Congress government is formed so that we can fulfill our demand.
ST: What is the reason for the pre-poll alliance with UDP, which does not have any presence in Garo Hills?
Kalpana: Well, UDP had promised to support us and our cause, if they formed the government, which is why we joined hands with them. Besides, we have had an agreement also to contest in those seats where they are not contesting and vice versa. GNC is only contesting in South, South West and West Garo Hills.
ST: How many seats are you expecting to win in next month’s Assembly elections?
Kalpana: (Smiles)…We are confident of winning at least five out of the six seats in which we are contesting.
ST: What is your assessment of the Congress-led government’s performance?
Kalpana: (Laughs). What can I say? They have not been good. They have failed in all departments…
ST: GHADC chief executive member Boston Ch Marak has joined GNC. Will it boost the party’s chances in the Assembly elections?
Kalpana: Yes, it will definitely boost our party’s chances. We are drumming up support for him and I have been there with him at Salmanpara (where Boston is contesting), attending public rallies of late.