TURA: Former minister and legislator from Salmanpara, Gopinath K Sangma, have passed away in Tura on Wednesday following a prolonged illness.
The former legislator is the uncle of Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma.
Late Gopinath Sangma was first elected to Meghalaya Assembly on a Congress ticket from Salmanpara constituency in West Garo Hills in the 1990s. His younger brother Admiral K Sangma also became a legislator from Dalamgre (now Gambegre) constituency.
Both former legislators were the brothers-in-law of Late Purno A Sangma.
When P A Sangma, along with Sharad Pawar and Tariq Anwar, formed the Nationalist Congress Party after their ouster from the Congress for questioning the foreign origin of Sonia Gandhi, both, Gopinath and Admiral Sangma, also walked away and joined the new party.
Gopinath Sangma went on to win from Salmanpara on an NCP ticket in the 2003 state elections defeating Nimarson Momin of the UDP. He went on to hold several portfolios during his tenure in the legislature including minister for excise.