Meghalaya TMC to field lone woman MDC from Garo Hills as candidate for Gambegre bypolls

Meghalaya All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) has announced that it will field lone woman MDC in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), Sadhiarani M Sangma as its candidate for the upcoming Gambegre bypolls.

The announcement was made amid party leader and former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma's accusation that the National People’s Party (NPP) is allegedly “misusing” the state machinery to win the seat.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Mukul informed that TMC President Charles Pyngrope and other members of the election committee discussed the application of the candidature of the party MDC from Dengnakpara, Sadhiarani M Sangma, who is also the wife of his brother and former Rangsakona legislator Zenith M Sangma.

“The committee was unanimous in its decision to recommend her (Sadhiarani) name for final approval of the candidature as the candidate of the TMC for the forthcoming Gambegre bye election. So we will wait for the approval of the chairperson and the candidate will be announced soon,” he said while adding that the party is on ground zero and is working hard to win the Gambegre seat.

The bypoll is necessitated following the resignation of Congress leader Saleng A Sangma after he was elected as Tura MP.

Accusing the ruling NPP of misusing the state machinery, the former CM alleged that the CGI sheets are being distributed to families in the constituency.

“I have been following up the whole development in the constituency. One thing has drawn my attention. The whole state machinery has been directed towards that constituency including the chief minister himself,” he said, further adding that the same is subject to verification because recently quite a substantial number of families, the households were given CGI sheets. 

Stating that this is nothing but desperation of the NPP to win Gambegre, Mukul said, “But I am telling you people will give them a befitting reply.”

On being asked, he said, “We will take the bull by its horn and nobody will be allowed to go scot-free. It doesn’t mean that just because we are not giving frequent briefings on these illegalities that are happening it doesn’t mean that we are not working.”

“I am keeping every illegality that they (NPP) have with impunity I must say it has become more synonymous with the party concerned that anything everywhere where schemes are being implemented there is complete manipulation, nepotism. Therefore, I have been sharing my concerns within the house that the officers concerned who are responsible for implementation of the schemes must be very careful because the law has its long hand," he said.

"There is concerted effort by the government of the day to cripple the whole process of law. You have to ask the CM about the current dispensation of the Lokayukta. Has the Lokayukta been made fully functional as per mandate of the law? All these are crucial. If not, what is the reason?” he further asked.