TURA, March 2: If elections were only about ideology and party dedication, things would have been different! Not anymore. The polls slated for April 9 to elect 29 MDCs to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) have just got more interesting as winning is the sole agenda for either of the two main parties – Congress and NPP.
From a former CEM failing to make the cut to a senior Executive Member being dropped from the party candidates list, or even the presence of two sitting MLAs and a former legislator, this election is looking every bit the countdown for the 2023 assembly elections in the state.
The NPP’s final list of 13 candidates announced on Tuesday would have gone a little less noticed but for the fact that one of its sitting MDCs, who held the important portfolio of Finance in the GHADC, had his name replaced with a new face.
Wagesik MDC, Sengnal N Sangma, a young politician who against all odds defeated Congress heavyweight Freederson Sangma in the 2015 polls, has been dropped from the NPP list.
He has been replaced by new entrant, Bartholomeo D Shira, to take on the Congress candidate Freederson Sangma.
Once touted to be a front runner for the NPP ticket, the situation on the ground appears to have tilted in favour of a new face, much to the consternation of the Finance EM.
According to political pundits, both Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma of the NPP and his nemesis Mukul Sangma of the Congress, are keen to send a strong message out to the state electorate about which side the political fortunes are tilting ahead of the assembly polls. Which is why winning is all that matters.
Take the case of Siju Constituency in South Garo Hills where the Congress went against political wisdom and selected sitting MDC Kenadick S Marak in place of former CEM and multiple times winner Alphonse A Sangma.
The fact that Alphonse A Sangma has gone ahead to contest as an independent is a different story altogether.
In the case of Wagesik where the Finance EM was overlooked for the ticket, it remains to be seen if he will also be throwing his hat into the ring.
The winning criteria has also been the expected formula when it came to the Rochonpara Constituency where current CEM Dipul R Marak was facing an anti-incumbency factor over the financial mess in the GHADC where employees have not been paid for well over 27 months.
Despite facing a stiff challenge from another aspirant, the NPP decided to go with the tried and tested Dipul Marak given that the Congress has backed Malcolm M Sangma, nephew of former Selsella MLA late Clement R Marak.
Then there are the sitting MLAs who are keen to further strengthen their base like Raksamgre NPP MLA, Benedic Marak, and NCP’s Saleng A Sangma taking on the NPP and Congress from Babelpara border constituency.
They are not the only politicians who have tasted power in the state corridors and now seek an entry to an autonomous council. Former MLA Cherak Momin of Congress is also in the fray for the MDC contest from Kharkutta seat in North Garo Hills.
The final cut
Besides inclusion of CEM Dipul Marak from Rochonpara seat, the other candidates selected to contest from the NPP symbol are Nasser R Marak from Barengapara (Dalu), Rakesh A Sangma from Babelapara, Panseng R Marak from Amongpara, Thebalson Arengh from Boldamgre, Premish Sangma from Betasing, Anseng A Sangma from Asanang (Rongram), Enamul Haque from Balachanda, Roynath D Sangma from Batabari, Tarif Ibrahim Sarkar from Shyamnagar, Crozier G Momin from Bolsong (Bajengdoba) and Edbirth D Shira from Kharkutta.
While Roynath D Sangma is a former MDC who was also the outgoing nominated MDC, Tarif Ibrahim Sarkar is the son of Late Manirul Islam Sarkar, a former minister.