From Saurav Borah
ADOKGRE (NORTH GARO HILLS): In Chenangre (the Garo word for ‘land of victory’) as this place is known and associated with late PA Sangma as the legendary leader’s lucky charm for a successful poll campaign, there is a “wind of change” blowing.
For, the people who had voted PA Sangma and his children to power for over four decades or so, are now divided between the Congress and NPP, favouring rather the grand old party more than the one founded by a tall leader they revered.
The scales are apparently tilted in favour of Congress this time, as residents say, with signs of frustration writ large, that they see no development from the leader and his children they voted all these decades.
“We had made him MP for nine times. This is where he started his campaigns and won. But there has been no work on the ground. There have been no development schemes from his end. We do not have basic amenities even,” rued Abareth Sangma, a 61-year-old farmer.
The disappointment was voiced amid preparations for a poll rally by Congress leader and Tura Lok Sabha seat candidate, Mukul Sangma on Saturday morning.
“He (Mukul) sanctioned substantial funds for the Dhupdhara-Rongjeng highway that will pass through Adokgre, a bridge leading to Badakha village and a school building here in 2017. We are supporting him this time,” Abareth said, as he sipped tea in a ramshackle tea stall near the Adokgre school playground, the venue of the rally.
As it is, this correspondent found that a number of leaders of other parties, even BJP, are now backing Congress and Mukul Sangma, who has been uniting a mixed bag of allies and Independents to rally behind him ahead of the April 11 polls.
“Conrad Sangma on the other hand has been busy trying to expand his party base in the North East without considering that there is dissatisfaction among an electorate that used to bestow their faith naturally on his father while voting over the decades,” said a young supporter, who wished anonymity.
Hundreds who walked to the venue from relatively far-off villages like Aruak, gathered to see, hear, shake hands and interact with
)Mukul Sangma, who did oblige after the end of the rally.
Sinda Momin, a petty trader, said she came here walking all the way from her village in the foothills, to hear the leader talk about schemes for women like her. “We hope he wins and brings more schemes for empowering women,” Sinda, a mother of four, said, delighted after shaking hands and greeting her “new leader” after the rally.
So, while the incumbent chief minister and NPP president, Conrad Sangma, may again hum the everlasting Scorpions hit number like he did during a talk show in Delhi, the “Wind of Change” may in fact be blowing in favour of his Opposition, this time.
