Purno A. Sangma

Tura, April 3: Purno A. Sangma has received a jolt with NCP Meghalaya unit president Monindro Rava sending a letter of “unconditional support” to Congress candidate from Tura Lok Sabha constituency Mukul Sangma.

Purno Sangma, who is seeking re-election for a record eighth term from the Garo Hills constituency, is known to be close to Rava. But the latter chose to follow the directives of his party high command Sharad Pawar’s directive instead of joining Purno Sangma’s nascent Nationalist Trinamool Congress (NTC). Purno Sangma will fight the Lok Sabha election under the NTC banner.

While the Congress is campaigning vigorously in Garo Hills, the NTC is yet to pick up the thread. Mukul Sangma addressed a press conference here last evening where he accused Purno Sangma of ignoring Garo Hills’ interest while aligning with the BJP.

“This is a wrong impression which has been created by Purno Sangma that people of Garo Hills have aligned with the BJP along with him. The BJP has done little for the Northeast’s development,” he said.

“The former Lok Sabha Speaker does not have any agenda for the people of Garo Hills and has been wasting his time by whipping up issues that are not even remotely connected to the development of Garo Hills,” the Congress candidate said.

Mukul Sangma, who is the minister of taxation and information technology in the Congress-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government, promised that he would try to bring private investment to Garo Hills if elected to the Lok Sabha. “I will make Garo Hills’ voice heard in Delhi and create employment opportunities for our youths here,” the doctor-turned-politician said.

He also promised a proper and strong rehabilitation package for militant groups after the proposed peace process takes off.

“Militancy is a result of lack of employment opportunities, economic development and a failing agriculture sector,” he said, adding that “peace and development must go hand-in- hand”.