NEW DELHI/KOLKATA/SHILLONG: National leaders paid tribute to former Lok Sabha speaker Purno Agitok Sangma on his 71st birth anniversary on Saturday.
Veteran parliamentarian LK Advani, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, Shillong MP Vincent Pala and others assembled at the Central Hall of Parliament to remember the leader who died in 2016.
“Paid floral tribute to my late father Purno A Sangma at the central hall of Parliament in presence of LK Advaniji and other members and officials,” Conrad tweeted.
In a tribute to Sangma, Neiphiu Rio said, “My heartfelt tribute to late Shri PA Sangma on his 71st birth anniversary. The former Lok Sabha Speaker and Chief Minister of Meghalaya was a man of words and a leader of the masses whose exemplary contribution to North East India will never be forgotten.”
The secretary-general of Rajya Sabha, Desh Deepak Verma, and officers of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Secretariats also paid floral tributes to Sangma.
A booklet containing the profile of PA Sangma, brought out in Hindi and English by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, was presented to the dignitaries.
In Shillong, the National People’s Party celebrated its sixth foundation day that coincides with Purno Sangma’s birthday.
The programme was chaired by NPP working president D War. Among those who spoke were MLA Gigur Myrthong, party’s state head WR Kharlukhi, CR Lyngdoh and BK Sangma, both general secretaries in the party, who recalled the late leader’s contributions to public life and society.
Earlier a prayer was offered by JS Kurbah, NPP’s East Khasi Hills district president, and the vote of thanks was proposed by K Blah, general secretary.
To commemorate the foundation day, the NPP flag was hoisted by War. A minute of silence was observed to honour the life and achievements of Purno Sangma.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who was an MP during Purno’s tenure as Lok Sabha speaker, tweeted, “Remembering former Lok Sabha Speaker PA Sangma on his birth anniversary.”
Born on this day in 1947, Sangma served as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha from 1996 to 1998 and chief minister of Meghalaya from 1988 to 1990.
In 1973, Sangma became Vice-President of the Pradesh Youth Congress in Meghalaya and became the general secretary of the party in 1975. He served in that position from 1975 to 1980.
In 1977, he was elected to the 6th Lok Sabha from Tura in Meghalaya and was re-elected from the same constituency multiple times.
He represented the Tura constituency in multiple Lok Sabha sessions – from the sixth to the eight Lok Sabha sessions. He did not contest re-election at the time of the formation of the 9th Lok Sabha but did regain his seat in 1991 at the commencement of the 10th Lok Sabha and remained a member till 2008. He became Speaker in 1996.
On the morning of March 4, 2016, Sangma died from cardiac arrest in New Delhi at the age of 68.
He was awarded a posthumous Padma Vibhushan in 2017 becoming the first recipient of Padma Vibhushan from Meghalaya. (Agencies)
