TURA, Oct 28: In a contest that had multiple rallies by star campaigners from as many as four major political parties, the lone independent candidate was conspicuous by his absence from the campaign field.
Independent Carla R Sangma did not hold a single public rally, as per records with the Returning Officer.
“He did not apply for a single public meeting all through the election campaign,” confirmed Returning Officer C N Sangma while speaking to The Shillong Times.
The Independent candidate, a green horn in politics, apparently was engaged in house to house campaigning.
In comparison, the BJP’s Kingstone B Marak was able to hold a handful of rallies in which BJP state president Ernest Mawrie along with Sanbor Shullai and A L Hek wooed the crowds.
Similarly, UDP candidate and sitting GHADC MDC Ashahel D Shira also managed to organise multiple meetings that saw star campaigners Lahken Rymbui, home minister, and Meghalaya Speaker and UDP president Metbah Lyngdoh draw in the crowds.
But the biggest numbers game was left to the Congress and the NPP which pulled out all stops to bring in the big guns- Congress with Vincent Pala, Mukul Sangma and Deborah Marak, while the NPP strategy was centered around the chief minister Conrad K Sangma and, towards the fag end, sister and Tura MP Agatha K Sangma.