NCP leader P.A. Sangma and his daughter Agatha Sangma meet Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa in Chennai. File picture

Shillong, May 21: Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalitha has created waves by extending support to former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno Agitok Sangma for the post of President.

Ironically, the ripples are yet to reach Meghalaya — the home state of the veteran politician.

The common refrain is that Sangma was yet to approach the political parties in the state to solicit their support in his quest to be the next occupant of Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Meghalaya PCC president D.D. Lapang, while stating that Sangma was a “good leader”, took refuge in “party policy”, which, according to him, “involves all quarters to translate secularism into action”.

 

“I am glad that his(Sangma) name is there (for the post of President). But I am not in a position to say anything. It is upto the UPA leadership to take the call on who should be the nominee,” Lapang told reporters after a function to commemorate the 21st death anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi at the Congress Bhawan here.

Lauding Sangma, the former chief minister said, “The Northeast should feel proud that his name is there. Hailing from a small state, he had struggled a lot and went on to become the Lok Sabha Speaker. But for the post of President, there should be a consensus.”

While refusing to spell out whether the state Congress would be willing to support Sangma’s candidature, Lapang said, “Let him consult with the AICC and let us see after that.”

“Even if you try 100 times to ask the same question (on Sangma’s candidature), I will not fall into your trap,” Lapang told this correspondent when prodded to specify whether the state Congress, with 28 legislators in its kitty, would support the “undisputed king of Garo Hills”.

Veteran legislator and HSPDP president Hopingstone Lyngdoh, who would also have to take part in the presidential polls as one of the voters, refused to spell out his party’s stand on Sangma’s race to Raisina Hill.

“Let him come and meet me and then only I will be in a position to say whether I should support his candidature,” Lyngdoh said.

Sangma has not only featured in national politics. He has also made a mark in state politics where he had served as chief minister. He became the chief minister of the state for the first time in 1988. He was then a Congress stalwart and had led the United Meghalaya Parliamentary Forum (UMPF) government.

However, his government lasted for a mere two years from February 6, 1988 to March 25, 1990.

Sangma was replaced by another veteran politician, B.B. Lyngdoh, who led the Meghalaya United Parliamentary Party (MUPP) government from March 26, 1990 till October 10, 1991, before President’s rule was imposed.

Sangma’s foray into electoral politics began in 1977 when he contested the Lok Sabha elections from Tura under a Congress ticket. He emerged victorious by bagging 40,288 votes while Moody K. Marak of the then All Party Hills Leaders Conference (APHLC) secured the second position with 26,254 votes.

Sangma also won the Lok Sabha elections held in 1984, 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2004 besides the byelection in 2006. In 2004, he had contested as a candidate of the All India Trinamul Congress (AITC).

After returning to state politics in 2008, he vacated the Tura parliamentary seat for his daughter Agatha, who also contested and won the Lok Sabha elections in 2009.

In the 2008 Assembly polls, the Sangma family also created history of sorts. Besides Sangma, his two sons, James Pangsang Kongkal Sangma and Conrad Kongkal Sangma were elected to the eighth Legislative Assembly.

While Sangma was elected from Tura constituency, James and Conrad won from Rongchugiri and Selsella respectively.