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The UPS and DOWN of MUKUL SANGMA
Mukul Sangma, the head of state of Meghalaya, who came into the political scene in 1993, elected to the state legislature, as an independent from the Ampatigiri constituency in the Garo Hills, claimed the political leader to become Chief Minister, is now in the helm of political developments, whether he can steer the Congress to the victory stand in the ensuing 2018 general elections of the State Assembly. The present Chief Minister and leader of a national party, has an advantage, specially being a ruling party, though heading a coalition government known as the Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA), which include regional parties, such as the United Democratic Party (UDP) and others.
Mukul Sangma had passed the test of being elected as a Congress candidate in 1998, 2003, 2008, 2013 and was first given the responsibility of being the Home Minister and also Education, under the D.D.Lapang Ministry in 2005. Another up gradation of Mukul Sangma, was his appointment as Deputy Chief Minister in 2005. Yet here followed by one of his down-fall, when he had to resign, following a police firing killing five persons at Williamnagar in East Garo Hills District and four persons in Tura and that about 100 persons were injured, in an agitation against a state level committee recommendations on the restructuring of the Meghalaya Board of Secondary Education (MBOSE).
Mukul Sangma tasted yet another downfall in 2004, when he was wiped off in the Lok Sabha elections against Purno. A. Sangma of the National Congress Party (NCP), by a wide margin of 72,000 votes. Yet he regained his stature as a leader of the party and the state, when in 2009, he became the Deputy Chief Minister, led by the Chief Minister D.D.Lapang. It was on April 2010, a year after that Mukul Sangma, scaled the top of the political leader of being the Chief Minister of state. It was a long journey, since his early days when he became secretary of the District Congress Committee, of West Garo Hills, President of the District Congress and also as the General Secretary of the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee.When he became Chief Minister in April 2010, on which happens to be his birthday, was considered auspicious.
However today the crucial period has arrived, at a time when Mukul Sangma is being saddled by rifts and dissidents within the Congress party, questioning his leadership. There is this hoarse cry for a change of leadership if the party and also the government is to survive. There has been a hurry scurry to the High Command in New Delhi, for a change in leadership, because the Congress party is falling apart. The party in New Delhi are however firm, also Mukul Sangma, may has to stick in the helm of affairs of the party and also governance. This has come about inspite of the fact that Mukul Sangma has been losing ground in the Garo Hills, as evident from the results of the elections to the Garo Hills District council. The Congress had to bite the dust in humiliation. For the first time ever, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was able to make an entrance in the District Council.
Sumar Sing Sawian
To read the further article please get your copy of Eastern Panorama March issue @http://www.magzter.com/IN/Hill-Publications/Eastern-Panorama/News/ or mail to contact @easternpanorama.in
