It’s Sangma vs Sangma at Tura

It is billed as the ‘‘hottest seat’’ in the N-E region. The political mercury in Garo Hills had never soared so high as ...

It is billed as the ‘‘hottest seat’’ in the N-E region. The political mercury in Garo Hills had never soared so high as Congress candidate and PWD Minister Mukul Sangma takes on the uncrowned king of Garo Hills, former Lok Sabha Speaker and Nationalist Trinamool Congress (NTC) leader, Purno Agitok Sangma.

For the Congress, dislodging Sangma would be a Herculean task as the latter seeks to retain the Tura seat for a record eighth consecutive time. Ever since his electoral debut in 1977, Sangma’s margin of win has only shot up. Today, he is considered the ‘‘pride’’ of not only the Garo community but also of the entire N-E region.

No wonder then that the veteran is unfazed by the challenge posed by 39-year-old Mukul. He told mediapersons at his Walbakgre residence on Tuesday that this time round, he will be winning with a bigger margin as it’s a straight fight between him and the Congress candidate.

Congressmen are cut up with Sangma for having targeted Sonia. They feel he has been disloyal to the party that catapulted him to such heights — he has served in ministries like Industry, Commerce, I&B, Labour and Coal — besides being the LS Speaker.

Opponent Mukul says Sangma has reached his peak and now on, he can only come down. Mukul, who entered electoral politics in 1993 at a relatively young age of 29 and won the Assembly seat, is confident of matching Sangma word for word and vote for vote.

In fact, Mukul is considered as the number two in the Congress-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) coalition government of Chief Minister D.D. Lapang. A former doctor, he said: ‘‘I know Sangma’s election strategies and his style of working as he was in the Congress.’’ He said the Garo Hills electorate is ‘‘fed up’’ with Sangma for frequently changing his party.

This time round, it may not be all that easy for Sangma, especially after he quit NCP. Today he is left with only five legislators (NCP) who are still campaigning for him.