SHILLONG, Oct 11 NNN: Two Sangmas’ factors will dominate the next assembly election in Meghalaya.
The P.A. Sangma led National People’s Party (NPP) and the Congress headed by Mukul Sangma are expected to be the main contenders to help form the next government in Meghalaya.
Both the leaders hail from the same community and they are from Garo Hills’ Tura.
Meghalaya is likely to go to poll in early next year. A couple of days ago, the Congress had announced that it would fight the poll alone. So far visible move of political party is witnessed in forming pre-poll alliance. In the present assembly, the Congress has 28 MLAs, the Congress has 28 followed by NPP with 13, United Democratic Party (UDP) with 10 legoslators including the KHNAM entrant Paul Lyngdoh, NCP and HSPDP has just two each while there are five Independent legislators. There were as many as 15 NCP legislators after the Assembly elections in 2008. Actually, NCP had 15 MLAs before the formation of NPP. Out of these, 13 had joined the NPP recently
Senior Sangma and his children—one Lok Sabha MP in Agatha Sangma and two MLA sons—have a large following in Meghalaya. For Mukul Sangma and his Congress in Meghalaya, the position of the UPA government at the Centre in the wake of Mamata’s move will matter a lot.
Whatever may be the cause, it is perhaps going to be the clash of P.A. Sangma’s personality and the Gandhi’s Congress.
And again within the Congres itself, it will not be wrong to say the rivalry of former chief minister D.D. Lapang and incumbent Mukul Sangma will also feature in the next assembly elect vis-a-vis during the ticket distribution of the party.
Meanwhile, the UDP and HSPDP are closely observing the development. For the NCP, the exit of the former Lok Sabha Speaker from the party is going to cost a lot. Last month, 13 legislators of the party had joined the NPP.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/clash-of-sangma-in-meghalaya/
