From Saurav Borah
ADOKGRE (EAST GARO HILLS): This sleepy village under Tura Lok Sabha constituency is yet to go full steam on election activity even as just about two weeks remain for voting day.
But for the National People’s Party, Adokgre remains chenangre (the Garo word for ‘land of victory’). For, it was in this very village that the party’s founder, late Purno Agitok Sangma kicked off his poll campaign (even when he was with the Nationalist Congress Party) and invariably achieved success.
Recalls Prewilson A Marak, a septuagenarian farmer, “I was a member of his parties (NCP, Trinamul Congress and later NPP). He was so down to earth yet so charismatic. We used to have meals together at times and his campaigns were very smooth…devoid of any mudslinging and one-upmanship like what we see today.”
Adokgre, about 12km from Dhupdhara (Goalpara district), is located on the Meghalaya-Assam border. Portions of the narrow North Eastern Council-funded road have disintegrated, with craters in between the black-topped road, even as maintenance work has been slow, locals say.
On Tuesday morning, there was a lull at the mini stadium where the legendary leader’s son and NPP president Conrad K Sangma recently launched the party’s campaign for the April 11 election along with his sister and candidate for the Tura seat, Agatha Sangma, and the party’s advisor and another legendary figure, former Congressman, DD Lapang.
But the silence may soon make way for the loud speakers to blow as D-Day nears.
“We had a good crowd at the election meeting that day. Back in the days of Purno Sangma, the excitement was even more special. The assembly of people was bigger from what I can recall. But people loved him as he used to mingle freely,” Prewilson said, as he sat on a thin, wooden bench near the mini stadium and put an effort to diligently answer every query of this correspondent.
Asked whether any difference could be spotted in the style of poll campaigns then and now, he warily replied, “Purno Sangma was a star himself, so there was no need for any star campaigners to campaign for him. His presence was enough to convince people. But now, many parties are lining up star campaigners for the election rallies.”
In general, Adokgre remembers the legendary politician as a self-made man, a people’s leader and one who matured from the grassroots.
“He rose from the grassroots and knew his work well. He contributed his bit, including sanction of Rs 10lakh for a guest house, apart from building a school and the mini playground. He also worked for the uplift of the residents and could bring good schemes from the Centre to the constituency,” Prewilson said.
“His children too are following his footsteps. But they are blessed to have a platform set up by him,” he added.
Asked what his prediction was for Tura LS seat, a young farmer wishing anonymity said, “This is a (Lok Sabha) poll campaign sans Purno A Sangma here for the first time and hence has lost much of its sheen. So I cannot predict. But the main battle will be between NPP and Congress.”