TURA: Former chief minister and Congress candidate Mukul Sangma was among four candidates to file their nomination papers for Tura Lok Sabha seat and Selsella legislative by-poll on Monday, the last day for filing of nomination papers for the April 11thelections.
Tura will witness a three-cornered contest while Selsella by-election will have four candidates from different parties in the fray.
The Congress heavyweight was the first to file his nomination on Monday morning before the returning officer. Accompanied by his wife and Mahendraganj legislator Dikkanchi D Shira and daughter Miami D Shira, Ampati MLA, Mukul Sangma arrived outside the office of the Returning Officer shortly before noon.
Carrying party flags, hoards of Congress supporters descended outside the deputy commissioner’s office chanting slogans in support of the party and their candidate.
This is Mukul Sangma’s third attempt at wresting the Tura Lok Sabha seat from the family of Late Purno A Sangma.
He first took on the former Garo Hills strongman during the general elections of 2004 when P A Sangma had contested on the All India Trinamool Congress ticket. Purno Sangma went on to win the seat and became an opposition MP in parliament.
He returned to contest against the Late Sangma in 2006 for the Tura by-poll but was unsuccessful. This will be the first time the Congress leader is taking on the young Agatha Sangma of the NPP. The youngest daughter of P A Sangma is also contesting the national elections after a gap of almost ten years. She last contested the parliamentary polls in 2009.
On the same day, the BJP’s candidate Rikman G Momin also filed his nomination to take on both Mukul and Agatha for the prestigious Tura MP seat. Rikman was a former BJP candidate in last year’s Assembly elections from Rongjeng constituency which he unsuccessfully contested and was placed in the seventh position.
The Selsella assembly seat is all set to witness a four cornered contest with June Eliana R MArak of the Congress, Ferlin C A Sangma of the NPP, Sayedullah Nongrum of the UDP and Adorsho Sangma of the BJP.
June Eliana, Sayedullah and Adorsho filed their nominations on the last day. The by-election was necessitated following the death of sitting Congress legislator Clement Marak. The party has fielded his widow June Eliana Marak.