Shillong, March 4: Former Lok Sabha Speaker P.A. Sangma died in New Delhi today following a massive heart attack.

Elected nine times to the Lok Sabha from Tura in Meghalaya and the first Speaker from the Northeast, the news of his death was broken by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, who made obituary reference to him and adjourned the House for the day as a mark of respect.

Later setting aside protocol, the Rajya Sabha also adjourned for members to pay homage to Sangma, whose body will be brought to his home in Meghalaya.

Popularly known as Purno, Sangma was born on September 1, 1947, to (late) Dipchon Ch. Marak and (late) Chimri A. Sangma at Chapahati village in Meghalaya's South West Garo Hills.

Rising from humble beginnings, Sangma completed his graduation from St Anthony's College, Shillong, before attaining a master's degree in international relations from Dibrugarh University in Assam. Subsequently, he also obtained a degree in law.

Known for his humour and intelligence with the trademark smile, Sangma rose from being a Youth Congress leader to the office of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha in a glittering career spanning four decades.

His involvement in politics dates back to 1973 when he associated himself with the Meghalaya Pradesh Youth Congress. Four years later, he earned a win to the sixth Lok Sabha from the Tura constituency.

Since 1977, Sangma never lost a parliamentary or state election, and he occupied various offices, including Union deputy minister, Union minister of state, Union cabinet minister, Speaker of the Lok Sabha, chief minister of Meghalaya, and leader of Opposition in the state Assembly.

In his stint in the Union council of ministers, he held the portfolios of labour, coal and information and broadcasting.

Although he started his political career with the Congress, Sangma, in 1999, broke away to form the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). In May 1999, the famous troika of Sharad Pawar, Tariq Anwar and Purno Sangma created a split in the Congress after they were expelled from the party for challenging Sonia Gandhi's right to become Prime Minister in view of her "foreign" origins.

In 2004, Sangma broke away from the NCP and contested the 2004 Lok Sabha polls on a Trinamul Congress ticket. Although he won the election, he quit the Trinamul to rejoin with the NCP in 2006.

In the presidential polls of 2012, Sangma contested against Pranab Mukherjee, only to be vanquished. However, Sangma, who was an NCP legislator at that time, resigned from the party as well as from Meghalaya Assembly. After the presidential elections, he led the Manipur-based National People's Party (NPP), and in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls he won for a record ninth time from Tura.

In his brief stint in state politics, Sangma became the Meghalaya chief minister in 1988. He remained in power until 1990 before his government was toppled. He occupied the post of the leader of Opposition as well in 1990-91.

In 2008, Sangma contested from Tura on an NCP ticket, and a record was created as he, along with his two sons - James and Conrad -were simultaneously elected to the Assembly.

Sangma had also created history in the Lok Sabha. In a significant departure from the Indian parliamentary system, in May 1996, the 11th Lok Sabha unanimously elected a member from the Opposition as the Speaker. Sangma, who was in the Congress then, was the first to occupy the Speaker's chair from the Opposition bench.

Sangma is survived by his wife Soradini, sons Conrad, a former finance minister in Meghalaya, James, a sitting MLA, and daughter Agatha, who was the youngest minister in Manmohan Singh's ministry when she was inducted in 2009.#