TURA: The fight for Tura parliamentary seat is getting interesting as the Congress and the NPP raise the election tempo with rhetoric, criticisms and desperate acts.
In the dust and grind of state politics, political desperados have become the order of the day and what better way than an alliance in the form of a ‘Mahagathbandhan’.
A combined force of the NPP and its allies — the UDP, HSPDP, PDF and Independents — is breathing down the neck of sitting Congress MP Vincent Pala in Shillong hoping to turn the tables on the two-time parliamentarian.
Back in Garo Hills, a similar scene is unfolding in the Congress camp. Former chief minister Mukul Sangma is pulling back no punches.
He has roped in over two dozen politicians from different parties and independent leaders in Garo Hills who contested in last year’s Assembly elections.
“Tura needs a representative in Delhi who can deliver people’s aspirations,” said Mukul in successive campaign rallies as he continued to welcome political rivals of the NPP into the Congress.
Most of the politicians who are supporting the Congress now are candidates who were defeated either by the NPP or the Congress in last year’s state election.
However, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has maintained that “the people of Garo Hills are with us and we are confident that they will vote for us”.
Even former members of the BJP, the Congress’s arch rival in the country, are no longer foes here. Former BJP leaders Edmund K Sangma (former MLA) Thomas Marak and Santosh Marak were recently welcomed into the Congress. Both Edmund and Santosh were defeated by the NPP last year.
There are 17 former independent candidates who have also ganged up against the NPP this election.
As many as five of them are from Rongjeng constituency in East Garo Hills where they faced defeat at the hands of NPP candidate Jim Sangma last year.
There are five former NCP candidates as well as UDP and AAP aspirants who are hoping to turn the tables on the NPP.
“This election is very interesting because everyone is looking for a change. That is why so many people from different parties are joining the Congress,” said Deborah Marak, former Congress minister.
While alliances take shape all around and each camp tries to rival the other with bigger number of allies, it remains to be seen if it will translate into votes on the polling day.
