MANGSANG: The stakes in the battle for Tura parliamentary seat has just been raised a notch higher between the two main players-Congress and NPP, as they look at ways to reach every nook and corner of the region to garner every possible vote in their favour.
And what better way to do that then by air.
Since Saturday, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has begun a whirlwind tour of the Garo Hills using the quick air services of a helicopter to get him airborne to campaign meetings that are sometimes organised hundreds of miles away from the previous one.
Hoping to keep intact the NPP’s formidable fort in the north and eastern region of Garo Hills, the chief minister airdropped at three different locations, Rongrong Abema, Mangsang and Chibonga, as he kicked off his chopper campaign, on Monday, to drum up support for former Union MoS Agatha K. Sangma and his party candidate for the Tura Parliamentary constituency.
Addressing election rallies, Conrad made an “emotional” chord with the electorates as he shared the dreams of Late Purno Agitok Sangma of championing the cause of the indigenous people of Northeast.
“For MP election, the people of Garo Hills have always kept the interest of the tribesmen as the key agenda. This time also, it is not any different. The people of Garo Hills have united to show their solidarity to NPP. The wave of our party is felt across the region be it in plain belt area of Phubari — Rajabala or in the hills of Baghmara – Chokpot,” he said.
Accusing his opponents from the Congress of spreading a –misinformation’ campaign, the NPP chief reiterated that his party will continue to oppose the Citizenship Amendment Bill in the near future. “Meghalaya was the first state in India to oppose the Bill and raise its objection. We took the initiative to unite different political parties of Northeast and made our voice heard in Delhi and ensured that the Bill lapsed in the Rajya Sabha,” he exhorted.
He told the gathering that people across Northeast were eagerly waiting to see the mandate for NPP as they believe that NPP can deliver and push forward the agenda for Northeast. While stating that the Congress party is propagating a wrong notion that NPP will partner with BJP and will ensure that the CAB is passed in the Lok Sabha, NPP chief said, “We will remain true to our commitment promised to the people of Northeast and will never allow any bill that would hamper the interest of our people.”
“The Congress is aware that they are not coming back to power. So they are saying that NPP will partner with BJP. The Congress party is well qualified from the University of lies, so they will continue to lie the people,” he claimed.
The chief minister accused his opponents of spreading false stories about his party leaders and allies in the run up to the April 11 elections.
“They (Congres) lied that Garo National Council (GNC) is supporting the Congress, and that our leader Nihim D. Shira has also joined the Congress. But both, GNC and Nihim, have clarified their stand and their lies have been caught. So they have no other option but to create and propagate wrong notion but I am confident that the people of Garo Hills will not buy their lies.”
Nexus with BJP charge: The chief minister has asked the voters to seek accountability of Congress candidate Mukul Sangma on the nexus issue.
“Ask Congress candidate Dr. Mukul Sangma if during his tenure as Chief Minister whether he did not work with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He (Mukul) is saying that NPP is working with BJP, yes we are working with the centre to ensure development, and he did the same. So if NPP-BJP is same, Congress and BJP is also the same.”
He said that state and centre has to work in coordination to ensure development.
He told the electorates that during the last one year, the MDA government maintained a cordial relationship with centre and has been able to bring funds for initiating welfare and development in the State. He said that during Mukul’s regime, Meghalaya was accorded merely 150 cr under PMGSY, which was upgraded to 1500 cr during the NPP tenure of just one year.
He said that the NPP has fulfilled its promise made in the 2018 election with education as its top priority. “We had promised education policy and we brought out the policy well ahead of completion of one year. For over four decades the education department had to work without any policy or direction, we have scripted a direction to move forward to ensure better educational facilities in Meghalaya,” he said.
NPP chief said that basing on the education policy, the MDA government approached Ministry of Tribal Affairs and was accorded 11 Eklaveya Residential Model School (ERMS), out of 50 Schools across India as they were well aware that Meghalaya is focusing to ensure better education facilities for its children.
He told the gathering in different location that MDA government has been working to ensure that the promises made during the last election is fulfilled. “We are working for the future of Meghalaya and we will ensure that we are able to bring a transformation in the lives of our people,” he added.
He exuded confidence that if Agatha Sangma is elected as MP, she will add to the initiative started by the MDA government and would voice Garo Hills concerns in the Parliament. “During my tenure as MP, I tried my best to ensure that welfare schemes for Meghalaya were sanctioned. However, as I was from different party, it was difficult but I could manage. Now, almighty has given us an opportunity to elect an MP from the same party, so we should not miss the opportunity.”