TURA/SHILLONG: The BJP-NPP nexus has once again become the Congress’s election weapon with the party’s candidate for Tura seat, Mukul Sangma, prodding journalists to “investigate the links”.
Speaking to The Shillong Times outside the deputy commissioner’s office in Tura shortly after filing his nomination papers on Monday, Mukul said, “You know how the decision for putting up a BJP candidate ultimately emerged. Do investigative journalism on how the NPP was born, who nurtured it and who groomed it. You will find all the answers.”
As the senior leader hinted at the clandestine association between the NPP and the saffron party, he also cautioned the electorate against voting BJP to power at the Centre for the second term because “there is a danger to the country’s democratic values”.
Mukul was among the four candidates to file nomination papers for the Tura Lok Sabha seat and Selsella legislative by-poll on Monday, the last day for filing papers for the elections slated for April 11.
Tura will witness a three-cornered contest while Selsella by-election will have four candidates in the fray.
Continuing his tirade against the BJP, Mukul said, “A collective endeavour of the people is the need of the hour to sustain the country’s democracy. I am telling you this nation is going to throw out this regime.”
When it was pointed out that no successive Congress candidate has ever been able to wrest the Tura seat from the family of PA Sangma, the Congress leader replied, “Please remember it was the Congress who groomed and nurtured them.”
When asked about his agenda in this election, Mukul said it is to ensure the defeat of the current BJP government at the Centre.
“When you talk about agenda you are talking about national politics and how things have unfolded in the recent past… how the nation is subjected to so much uncertainty, issues of terrorism, joblessness, plight of farmers and traders and overall the situation across the nation. Democracy per se is under threat today,” he added.
The Congress heavy-weight was the first to file his nomination on Monday morning.
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, hordes of Congress supporters descended outside the deputy commissioner’s office chanting slogans in support of the party and their candidate. In Shillong, as many as eight candidates filed the nominations on the last day.
The eight candidates who filed nominations included Vincent Pala (Congress), Kennedy Cornelius Khyriem (Congress standby candidate), Jemino Mawthoh (UDP), THS Bonney (KHNAM), Sanbor Shullai (BJP), Justice Kharbasanti (CPI), Samuel Hashah (Independent) and Romeo Phira Rani (independent).
Mukul denounced the NPP and its national president and Chief Minister Conrad Sangma for the persistent problems in Tura parliamentary constituency.
“I’m a little disturbed because I am paying for collection of my water. I think many of you are also facing this problem of water shortage. This is the constituency of the chief minister,” said the Congress leader and accused
