MAWKYRWAT: Former chief minister Mukul Sangma was pilloried by senior NPP leaders on Friday for misuse of funds and creating hurdles for his party colleagues.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and other senior NPP leaders, who were at Nolikata in Ranikor to campaign for Martin M Danggo, a former Congress MLA, lambasted Mukul for derailing development in Meghalaya.
Conrad accused the opposition leader of misusing central funds that stunted the state’s growth.
“We have been able to reverse the trend and ensure that we serve people. NPP is in the ruling side, I am confident that people of Ranikor will vote for the ruling party and re-elect Martin Danggo. Don’t be misled and vote without any fear,” he told the gathering at the rally.
NPP’s state president WR Kharlukhi also took a dig at Mukul saying he has a “sickness” that makes him vindictive towards his own party members.
“Mukul is now coming to this area and he will stay with you. It’s good (but) had he come while he was the chief minister, all of you would have been happy. But he came with only one intention that is to defeat MM Danggo,” he said.
“This man (Mukul) has a sickness (jingpang) and he does not like the leaders within the Congress party. He has defeated all the leaders in the Congress and now he came here with the intention to take revenge on Danggo,” he added.
Kharlukhi maintained that instead, Mukul should have appreciated Danggo for resigning from the post of MLA for the betterment of the people of Ranikor.
Showering praises on the NPP candidate, the party’s state head said among all the by-poll candidates, Danggo “has the principle (nongrim) because he is fighting the election for the people of Ranikor” and he was responsible for making the constituency a civil sub-division. “Others only want to defeat Danggo.”
Conrad too was all praise for Danggo, and said, “He did not resign for own interest but because he was concerned for the people and wanted to fulfil their aspirations.”
“We have a leader who sacrificed for the people of Ranikor and Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma who fulfilled his promises within a month. Therefore, it is up to your wisdom to elect the public representative, the one that has sacrificed for you or those who come with lots of promises,” Kharlukhi said.
Danggo was seen sitting among the crowd.
The Nartiang MLA and Minister in-charge C&RD Department, Sniawbhalang Dhar, continued the eulogising saying, “A man like Danggo is one in a billion in this world.”
Over 3,000 people attended the rally, according to a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office. Different communities presented colourful cultural programmes.
