SHILLONG: Miani D Shira, the 27-year-old daughter of Mukul Sangma who is in the fray for Ampati by-poll, is all set for the May 28 battle.
Addressing the media on Monday, Shira, also known Mimi among friends and relatives, sounded confident saying she was giving her best to retain the seat and “leaving the rest to God”.
“Ampati constituency has become the attraction to BJP/NPP because my father has done so much for the people and the place. We have the best of roads which I’m sure those BJP/NPP leaders will also have to acknowledge. I wonder what change they are asking people of Ampati to have? Do they want to change Ampati and send it back to backwardness,” said the alumnus of Pine Mount School.
Miani, an introvert, said Ampati has changed from an underdeveloped constituency to a developing place because of the good work of her father.
Stating that she never subscribed to the views of communal politics that divide people in terms of religion, caste, she added, “I believe in ‘live and let live’, win good over evil.”
Talking about his inspiration in politics, Shira said she always looked up to her grandfather, former deputy speaker late Ira R Marak, who dedicated his life to serving people.
“My father is my idol. I have seen how he loved his people and spent sleepless hours working hard selflessly to improve the livelihood of people,” said Shira, who did her graduation from Lady Shri Ram College of Commerce in New Delhi.
The political greenhorn believes that the bonding that Sangma has with the people of Ampati is beyond money power and “if the opposition thinks it will buy off the people they should know they are fighting a losing battle”.
“I would also take this opportunity to ask those MLAs who are camping and criticising my father everyday in Ampati for the works he has done, I say charity begins at home so why don’t they first develop their own constituencies like even one-fourth of what Ampati has achieved (and) only after that they should have the moral right to come and lecture the electorate of Ampati,” said the young candidate.
