The Gambegre by-election is unique in that the spouses of two prominent politicians – Conrad K Sangma and Zenith Sangma are in the fray. While Mehtab Chandee is the wife of Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, Sadhiarani Sangma is the wife of Zenith Sangma of the TMC who lost the 2023 election to NPP candidate Subir Sangma from Rangsakona. Sadhiarani Sangma is also the sitting MDC of the Garo Hills District Council. She also contested the last Assembly election unsuccessfully from Gambegre which elected Saleng Sangma of the Congress. This time Bernard Marak of the BJP who is also sitting MDC is contesting the Gambegra polls while the Congress has fielded a close associate of the outgoing MLA Saleng Sangma. Two Independents are in the fray too.
As in all elections in Meghalaya and elsewhere development or the lack of it is the only plank on which candidates and their political parties harp on. Saleng Sangma who is now the Lok Sabha MP stated that people of Gambegre were very poor at one time and wanted money to buy essentials such as rice but now they are more self-sufficient and are not poverty stricken. The fact of the matter is that life in Meghalaya’s villages is blighted by lack of motorable roads or roads that are in a pathetic condition. Health services too are not easily accessible. This is not a recent phenomena but a carry over from previous governments whose priorities have always been the urban hubs of the state. This is not difficult to understand. Most or all MLAs don’t reside in their constituencies. Those from the Khasi -Jaintia Hills are all residents of Shillong and only visit their constituencies when invited for functions. It is the same with the MLAs of Garo Hills, Now most of them own a home in Shillong and they cannot really fathom the plight of their constituents.
Development is the only promise that all candidates make before elections but what has been demonstrated time and again is that nothing much changes. As of today even the roads within the capital city of Shillong are in a state of disrepair. Never have roads in Meghalaya deteriorated to such an extent. Some more than others have been left in a decrepit state. Take National Highway 6 the lifeline between Assam-Meghalaya-Mizoram-Tripura and the state in which it has been for the past 6 months. Granted that a national highway is the brief of the Union Ministry of Surface Transport but the State Government must draw the attention of the central authorities as a major stakeholder. But that has not happened. Roads in large swathes of Garo Hills remain unattended or poorly constructed. What is worse is that people take it in their stride because they feel they have no voice. Let’s hope Gambegre throws up an MLA who will address the needs of the constituents there and also contribute their mite to the overall development of the state. May the best candidate carry the day! The only hope is that people will vote wisely and not for short term material gains.
