Ending the supremacy of Purno Sangma family in Garo Hills, Congress candidate Saleng A. Sangma today scripted history by defeating Purno’s daughter and sitting MP of Tura constituency Agatha K. Sangma in the Lok Sabha elections, the results of which were announced today.
It is significant that after 33 years a non-member of the family of former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno Sangma was elected from the Tura parliamentary seat.
Saleng who is the current MLA from Gambegre constituency won by a margin of approximately 1,55,241 votes much to the shock of Agatha and all ruling NPP leaders including her brother and State Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma.
In the fight for the prestigious Tura parliamentary seat, Saleng secured a total of 3,83,919 votes whereas Agatha got 2,28,678 votes.
The other candidates in the race include Zenith Sangma of Trinamool Congress who got 48,709 votes and independent contestant Labenn Ch. Marak who forfeited his security deposit with 6910 votes. NOTA got 5840 votes while 603 votes were rejected.
Addressing his supporters after his win today, Saleng attributed the victory as a “blessing from God to the people of Garo Hills”.
“These are indicators that people want change and that is what I intend to do. Together with our people, we will bring a change in the entire Garo Hills,” he said.
The Tura seat had been with the Purno Sangma family since 1977 barring a two-year period from 1989 to 1991 when it was held by Sanford Marak of the Congress.
Purno was with Congress then but had opted to be a State player during that phase. He represented the Tura seat seven times since 1977 while his daughter Agatha represented it twice (2008-2014 and 2019-2024). Her brother Conrad Sangma won the seat once.
It may be mentioned that Purno returned to represent the Tura seat in 1991 for Congress and then for Trinamool Congress and NCP before setting up the NPP.
In 2016, when Purno passed away which called for a by-poll, his son Conrad Sangma contested the MP by-election and won. He held the seat from 2016 till 2018.
According to reports, the NPP’s tie-up with the BJP has cost Agatha her seat. Most voters in the 24 Assembly segments of Garo Hills consider BJP as not friendly to Christians.
