TURA, April 9: In an election fraught with claims and counter claims, allegations and counter allegations, with emotions and rhetoric at an all time high, the GHADC poll is all set to be a Sangma versus Sangma battle.
Not willing to leave anything to chance or any stone unturned, the two political heavyweights from Garo Hills literally traded places taking the battle to their bête noire bastions in the hope of swinging the political fortunes to their side.
Former chief minister and Congress leader of the opposition Mukul Sangma was at his political best in Dadenggre town, home to powerful NPP minister James Pangsang K Sangma, elder brother of the chief minister, on Friday.
Taking on James at his stronghold, Mukul Sangma questioned the lack of development in Dadenggre and urged voters to give a befitting reply in this GHADC election.
“Three years of NPP government has passed but where is the development for Dadenggre, a constituency he has been representing for fifteen long years?” questioned the Congress leader as he asked voters to send a strong message by rejecting the NPP on polling day.
A similar scenario unfolded on the same day, this time at Ampati town- bastion of Mukul Sangma and his family, where Conrad Sangma arrived with the full election juggernaut of the NPP to what the chief minister says are the “shifting sands” for the Congress in its once impregnable fortress.
Holding, by far, one of the biggest political rallies ever in Ampati by the NPP, the chief minister went all out against Mukul Sangma and the Congress questioning what they meant by “development”.
“Mukul Sangma and the Congress claims people have benefited from development done by the Congress. If that was to be true, would such a massive crowd of several thousand people come to give us support?” asked the Meghalaya chief minister.
The NPP has termed Friday evening’s mammoth gathering at Ampati as the “last nail” on the Congress coffin.
“People from Ampati and entire region have come to support us because they have witnessed our good work. They have seen our commitment to listen to their grievances and act upon it for a better life for them. This is one of the largest gatherings ever in Ampati and it reveals there is a wave of the NPP in what was once Mukul Sangma’s stronghold. We are confident of winning 20 seats in this election,” confidently claimed Conrad Sangma.
The blame game for the turmoil in the GHADC was also the leading topic for both parties.
At Dadenggre, Mukul Sangma accused the NPP of destroying the district council with its various acts and omissions and charged it with widespread misappropriation of central funds meant for development.
“Various RTI documents will reveal the misappropriation of crores of rupees in funding for developmental schemes. Money has been withdrawn but work never took off. That is why people have moved the anti corruption courts of the Lokayukta in the state,” said the Congress leader as he staked claim for establishment of the Lokayukta court in Meghalaya.
Conrad Sangma of the NPP, on the other hand, has accused the Congress leader of misrepresenting facts to garner votes as he maintains that evidence is visible at construction sites of the projects, including Tura.
The party has also gone on a war mode distributing documents and pictures of various projects under construction at different places in Garo Hills.
“Don’t believe NP claim of development of GHADC. It is our sanctions,” says Mukul Sangma, while, on the other hand, Conrad Sangma of the NPP responds, “It is our NPP that has initiated reforms in the Council by plugging financial loopholes and halting the widespread illegal appointments which was draining its resources.”
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