NCP retains Tura seat as Sangma’s daughter wins

NCP candidate Agatha Sangma, daughter of former Lok Sabha speaker P A Sangma, won from Tura parliamentary seat, which her father represented for the last 30 years, by routing the Congress candidate in a by-poll.

NCP candidate Agatha Sangma, daughter of former Lok Sabha speaker P A Sangma, won from Tura parliamentary seat, which her father represented for the last 30 years, by routing the Congress candidate in a by-poll.

She won by a margin of nearly a lakh, heralding a new political dynasty in Indian politics.

The 27-year-old Delhi-based lawyer, defeated Congress candidate Zenith Sangma, a former state minister, by 99,855 votes.

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The former Lok Sabha Speaker, who returned to state politics, had vacated the seat two months back after being elected as an MLA from Tura Assembly seat.

“I thank the people of Garo Hills for electing me and giving me a chance to serve them. I am confident of raising the issues of the people in Parliament,” Agatha, who is tipped as one of the youngest Parliamentarians, said in Tura after results were declared.

She pledged to take up issues of women and would tour the constituency to understand the problems faced by people.

Zenith, brother of Congress heavyweight and former state deputy Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, was defeated in all the 24 Assembly segments of the Parliamentary constituency, barring Ampatti and Mahendraganj.

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Two Independent candidates, Boston Marak and John Leslee Sangma, polled 28,607 and 17,819 votes respectively.

Agatha is the fourth member of her family to enter public life after her nine-time Parliamentarian father and State Planning Board Chairman successfully launched two sons – Conrad and James – into politics in the last Assembly elections.

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