Shillong, Nov 19: The Congress Party received a further boost before next year’s Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) election with the return of former South Tura MLA John Leslee K Sangma to the party ranks.
John Leslee was formally welcomed back by Congress state president Vincent Pala today.
The party looks set to benefit significantly from the collapse of the state unit of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), with former cabinet minister Zenith M Sangma already rejoining and others are also set to make the switch.
John Leslee, on the other hand, was with the United Democratic Party (UDP) until recently. He has gone up against Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma in 2023 and lost; indeed the UDP failed to score any wins in Garo Hills in that election, making his continued presence in the party somewhat incongruous.
“After a period of intense reflection and dialogue with community elders, supporters and civil society voices, he has chosen to return to the Congress, recognising it as the only political platform that continues to stand firm on democratic values and tribal rights,” the state Congress said in a release today.
John Leslee voiced grave concern over a “deepening crisis” in Garo Hills. The release said he noted that the youth are facing a bleak future, with unemployment, disillusionment and shrinking opportunities defining the current landscape. “I have seen firsthand how our young people are suffering. The situation in Garo Hills is deteriorating and the government seems incapable of offering even a semblance of hope. There is urgent work to be done at the grassroots,” he was quoted as saying.
He added that the Congress remains the only credible, secular and people-centric force capable of restoring confidence, protecting tribal identity and steering Meghalaya towards inclusive growth.
Welcoming him, Pala said, “His return is a powerful message to the BJP-NPP alliance, whose politics of division and neglect have pushed Garo Hills into despair. His credibility, experience and deep connect with the people will be instrumental in reviving democratic politics in the region. The growing support for the Congress is unmistakable.”
The MPCC believes that John Leslee’s rejoining will reinvigorate organisational efforts in the Garo Hills and encourage more leaders and citizens disillusioned with the present dispensation to reclaim their political agency under the Congress banner.
