Mahendraganj: In the battle of prestige and family relations that run deep in Meghalaya's politics, Mahendraganj constituency is set to witness a war of words between chief minister Mukul Sangma and NPP president Conrad Sangma.
The constituency will see a contest between Mukul's wife Dikkanchi D. Shira and Conrad's brother-in-law Sanjay A. Sangma.
In 2013, Dikkanchi won the seat with a thumping majority. But this time, Sanjay, a businessman who hails from Boldamgre village under Mahendraganj constituency, is using the local tag by terming Dikkanchi an outsider and taking advantage of the anti-incumbency against the Congress.
Mahendraganj is considered as a politically volatile constituency in Garo hills as it has a mixed population of Garo, Bengali Muslims and Hindus, Koch and Hajong communities.
The Bengali Muslim and Hindu voters are key in this constituency and efforts are being made by both candidates to woo them.
Last week, sports and youth affairs minister Zenith Sangma had addressed rallies to drum up support for Dikkanchi and counted on the surge of development which has taken place in the state.
Conrad, who has been touring the constituency for the past two days, has promised that if Sanjay is elected, the people will have double benefit of an MLA and an MP (Conrad is the Tura MP).
In 2013, Mukul had said if Dikkanchi was elected, the people would get the added benefit of the chief minister.
On Wednesday, at least 30 Congress leaders, including elder brother of former Mahendraganj MLA and cabinet minister Abdus Saleh, Abdul Sattar (Nondi), pledged support to the NPP. The other leaders who joined the NPP include Nur Islam, Paresh Barman, Abdul Kaddeer, Majnu Khandakar, Jafrul Haque, Uttam Das, Chitor Ranjan Modak, Chengman Ch. Marak, Epison D. Sangma, Wilseng Marak and Paul Marak.
The Congress leaders alleged the sitting legislator failed to fulfil the promises made and only encouraged key workers who worked for their vested interests.
Conrad said, "It is an honour for the NPP that so many Congress workers and leaders joined us. It will further strengthen the NPP base in Mahendraganj."
Conrad said the NPP wave was strong in Mahendraganj and people will not buy Mukul's words again to re-elect his wife.
