Shillong, Jun 25: Former Chief Executive Member of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) Purno K Sangma died on Thursday at Williamnagar Civil Hospital after a brief illness.
A prominent MDC from East Garo Hills, Sangma first took charge as CEM in 2009 at the head of an NCP-led Executive Committee. His second term began in February 2011, when a shift in council alliances saw him return to the post with Congress backing.
Colleagues recall his tenure as one marked by efforts to tackle the GHADC’s persistent governance and financial hurdles. Sangma was closely associated with grassroots politics in the Garo Hills and was seen as a steady hand during periods of instability in the council.
He was undergoing treatment at the time of his death.
Tributes poured in from across Meghalaya’s political spectrum on Thursday, with leaders and former associates hailing his long commitment to district council politics and public service.
