Independents to play key role in twin Tura seats

TURA: Independent candidates contesting the prestigious seats of North and South Tura are once again expected to play a pivotal role in deciding the winners in these two constituencies.
The last state elections in 2013 witnessed the victory of an Independent candidate in South Tura while another came close to snatching the North Tura constituency.
Independent candidate John Leslee K Sangma won South Tura in a tightly fought contest defeating Congress candidate Billykid A Sangma by a slender margin of only 18 votes thanks to the postal ballots after both candidates were in a dead heat.
In case of North Tura, Independent candidate Roger Benny A Sangma came second to Congress’s Noverfield Marak having been defeated by 565 votes.
With such close margins of victory and loss, many Independents feel this election is anyone’s game.
Six Independent candidates are contesting from North Tura constituency this time. In the fray are GHADC member representing Tura Rupert M Sangma (road roller symbol), last election runners up Roger Benny A Sangma (blackboard), Adamkid M Sangma (auto rickshaw), Chiang D Shira (truck), Sengman R Marak (table) and Marbindruth Ch Momin (globe).
Rupert is hoping to strike it big given that his predecessor, John Leslee, also marked his political journey to the state legislature through the GHADC.
John was the Tura MDC before winning the South Tura assembly seat in 2013.
Interestingly, while woman contestants are conspicuous by their absence from the political battle in North Tura, in the case of South Tura there are two women candidates. There is former Union minister of state Agatha K Sangma of the NPP and Independent Annamika Jessirella G Momin.
Besides her opponents from established political parties, Annamika (walking stick symbol) will take on three other Independent candidates — Jingjang M Marak (truck), Brinbal M Sangma (blackboard) and Pallab D Arengh (trumpet).
In the history of elections in Garo Hills, Tura constituency has so far not had a woman representative in the state assembly.