TURA, March 26: In a massive show of strength, sitting MP for the Tura seat Agatha Sangma on Tuesday filed her nomination for the Tura seat in the presence of a massive crowd of supporters along with the Who’s Who of the party from Garo Hills, including Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, Cabinet ministers AT Mondal and Marcuise Marak and almost all the MLAs of the party from the region.
Agatha was also joined in her nomination by her mother, Sarodini K Sangma and her husband Patrick Marak. She was the second candidate to file her nomination after Congress MLA Saleng A Sangma in front of Returning Officer, Jagdish Chelani.
Speaking to media persons after her nomination, Agatha said she wanted to continue the agenda of development and inclusion that was being undertaken by the NDA Government and she was confident of a positive result once again for her candidature.
On being asked about the impact the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) will have on her prospects, Agatha said that she believed it would have zero impact as the state was practically exempted from the Act.
“We signed CAA as most of the NE (Sixth Schedule areas) has been exempted from the Act. Before the Act, we were in the consultation forum and were informed beforehand that Sixth Schedule areas would not be impacted by the new law. We would not have signed it otherwise,” she said adding CAA was a non issue except for the opposition making a noise about it.
On the developmental front for Garo Hills, Agatha said that during her campaigns she has witnessed the development of the region first hand.
“Earlier during our campaigns we have seen the lack of roads and school infrastructure, hospitals etc in many places but due to the development initiatives of the present government there has been transformation for the better,” she felt while adding that this was something she wanted to carry on in the coming term if given the mandate again.
She added that this election there were no major issues that the opposition could voice out on while adding that there was a need to continue on the path of development that has been brought into the state by the present NPP led government over the past six years.
“NPP has given development in the last 6 years and me being a part of the NPP if given the mandate it will only show that the party is being accepted by the people
Replying to a question on the apprehension of minorities in some states over religious persecution, Agatha said that they have been vocal on the front and voiced out against any atrocities that were perpetrated.
“This is something we have always voiced out against in the Parliament. I am also a part of the Christian MPs Forum as its convener. We have discussed these issues and collectively take it up,” she asserted.
On the BJP support for her candidature, Agatha said that the central team had already supported her though it remains to be seen what steps those under the BJP for the Tura parliamentary seat would take or how much their support would mean.
