SHILLONG: Will former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma be lucky the third time while his opponent Agatha Sangma is hoping for a hat-trick as they face one more election from Tura?
It is not a first-time contest for Mukul or Agatha.
While Mukul unsuccessfully contested twice from Tura, Agatha won two elections.
Earlier in the general elections in 2004, CLP leader Mukul had unsuccessfully contested the Tura seat against Purno A Sangma, Agatha’s father.
Yet again in 2006, during a by-poll, Mukul was not lucky and that time too, his main opponent was Purno.
In 2004, Mukul secured 1,19,175 votes and the winner, Purno, who contested from All India Trinamool Congress after leaving NCP, bagged 1,91,938 votes.
There were no other contestants for the Tura seat in 2004. Later, a by-poll was held in 2006 for the Tura Lok Sabha seat after Purno quit the seat following the firing incident over the bifurcation of MBoSE on September 30, 2005.
Mukul, who was then deputy chief minister in-charge education, resigned from the ministry after protests from various quarters over the firing incident.
Subsequently, in the election held on February 16, 2006, Mukul got 1,18,848 votes while Purno, who resigned from Trinamool Congress to return to NCP, secured 2,20,024 votes thereby improving his position compared to 2004 polls.
Other contestants like Independents Ismail Sangma and Winstone Momin bagged 8,683 and 11,479 votes, respectively.
As far as Agatha is concerned, she faced the first election by way of by-poll for Tura Loka Sabha seat after her father Purno decided to come back to state politics by contesting the 2008 Assembly polls.
In the by-election held on May 22, 2008, Agatha, who contested on NCP ticket, bagged 1,81,761 votes while his opponent Zenith M Sangma from the Congress got 81,905 votes, Boston Marak and John Leslee Sangma secured 28,607 and 17,819 votes, respectively.
In the 2009 general elections, Agatha (NCP) got 1,54,476 votes followed by Deborah Marak of the Congress with 1,36,531, Boston Marak 40,204 votes and Arlene N Sangma 10,976 votes.
PERFORMANCE AT A GLANCE
General Elections- 2004General Elections- 2004 Mukul Sangma (INC) 119175 votes Purno A Sangma (AITC) 191938 votes By-election to Lok Sabha- 2006 Mukul Sangma (INC) 118848 votes Purno A Sangma (NCP) 220024 votes By-election to Lok Sabha- 2008 Agatha Sangma (NCP) 181761 votes Zenith M. Sangma (INC) 81905 votesGeneral Elections- 2009 Agatha Sangma (NCP) 154476 votes Deborah Marak (INC) 136531 votes