SHILLONG: Tura MP Purno A Sangma will find it an uphill task fulfilling his election promise of a separate state of Garoland.
The State Government had earlier made it clear that the creation of a separate state for Garos was not possible.
A resolution in favour of Garoland moved by Garo National Council legislator Clifford Marak was also rejected by the Meghalaya Assembly in March this year.
The main agenda of Sangma during the poll campaign was the creation of Garoland and he had even asserted during the campaign that he was ready to be in the forefront to fight for the cause.
Sangma had the support of GNC legislator Clifford Marak and the pressure groups which were fighting for statehood.
A senior Congress legislator said that since the State Government had already rejected the demand for the creation of a separate state for Garos, it was unlikely that the desire of PA Sangma will be fulfilled.
The agenda of several militant groups operating in Garo Hills is the creation of Garoland.
But the Union Home Ministry had earlier indicated that the demand for the creation of Garoland is not negotiable.
Responding to the demand of GNLA for a separate state, the Union Home Ministry, Director in charge North East, JPN Singh, had ruled out any discussion on the creation of Garoland.
The government at the Centre has changed, however, and the stand of the Union Home Ministry could also change, sources pointed out.
On the flip side, Telangana was created by the outgoing government overriding the wishes of the Andhra Pradesh assembly. Also, BJP was in favour of smaller states. Purno Sangma could be depending on these factors while making his promise, the sources said.
In any case, the Narendra Modi government would have a number of similar demands to deal with, like Garoland, Bodoland and Gorkhaland. Evolving a uniform policy for these diverse demands could be a difficult task.
