‘Mukul ignored locals for Ampati candidature’

SHILLONG: SG Esmatur Mominin, the NPP legislator from Phulbari, has said former Ampati MLA Mukul Sangma ignored the political potential of locals and instead fielded his daughter, Miani D Shira, a greenhorn.
Pointing to two factors which will likely be a disadvantage for Sangma, Mominin said, “The Hajong and the Koch have been supporting Mukul for the last 25 years. Why didn’t he field any Hajong or Koch candidate? Instead he fielded his daughter, which is unacceptable. The Garo community is also thinking the same.”
Secondly, Mominin asserted that Sangma should have fielded a local candidate in Ampati as his daughter lives in Tura.
According to him, the Ampati by-poll fight is tough for both parties. However, he said, “It is very much expected that if things go the right way NPP will have a chance to win. Even Clement (Momin) has a high reputation as a teacher.”
Momin is the NPP candidate and is supported by the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance.
The BJP’s decision to not field a candidate in the Ampati election was taken after a meeting of state BJP president Shibun Lyngdoh, the party’s probable candidate Bakul Hajong and Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, said sources in the party.
According to the source, the move will affect BJP’s 8,000 plus voters and baffle them while choosing a candidate.
At the same time, the source pointed out that majority of the Christian Garos might resist BJP while the Koch community has considerable population like the Hajongs.
Former bureaucrat Hajong, who joined BJP in Garo Hills after taking voluntary retirement from the post of sericulture and weaving director last year, faced former chief minister Mukul Sangma.
Ampati by-election will see a triangular fight with the entry of Subhankar Koch in the electoral fray.