What is even more amazing is that Meghalaya has actually outdone Assam this time around as the latter has managed only one berth in the cabinet, namely Bijoy Krishna Handique. This is an unprecedented feat and is all the more significant when one considers the fact that Meghalaya covers a geographical area of 22429 sq kms as opposed to Assam’s 78438 sq kms.

Agatha Sangma who was elected from Tura is the daughter of political stalwart Purno A. Sangma and the youngest of four siblings. This has, in a queer turn of events, spilled over to her role in the cabinet ministry. Being a mere 28 years old, she has inadvertently slid into the role of one of the youngest sibling in her extended political family of 79 union ministers. A lawyer by profession, Agatha, contrary to her childlike outlook, possesses strength and wisdom which belie her age. Astute and wise beyond her years, she has inherited many of her father’s characteristics and truly a repository of his charm and eloquence. The early prediction of her being given the Rural Development portfolio has become a reality as this was exactly the charge she has been handed in her role as a cabinet minister.

The other MP from Meghalaya Vincent H. Pala on the other hand has been granted the Water Resources Development portfolio. This 41 year old civil engineer who formerly held the post of Assistant Chief Engineer, Public Works Department (Roads) from which he voluntarily retired in 2008 is one of the new and young faces in the cabinet. Besides this, he holds the distinction of being the richest among the 11 candidates who contested for the much coveted Shillong Parliamentary seat. He can definitely be regarded as a very popular representative as this is clearly indicated by the margin of 1,07,868 votes by which he trounced his closest rival in the race to the 15th Lok Sabha. It may be noted here that Mr. Pala was nominated as a candidate after former union minister P. R. Kyndiah opted out of the fray.

 

The third MP from the North East who has managed to get into the cabinet is none other than Bijoy Kumar Handique of Assam. In contrast to his two counterparts from Meghalaya, Handique is a seasoned veteran politician and has been elected for the last 6 consecutive terms. Widely traveled, he has visited many places such as Germany, Netherlands, the U.K, Moscow and many more. He holds a special interest towards developmental works, the environment and foreign affairs. He is also an avid writer and has penned numerous poems besides contributing regularly to newspapers and periodicals. He is by profession a political and social worker, an educationist and an industrialist. Having being entrusted with the prestigious DoNER portfolio, the greatest challenge before Mr. Handique will be the means and ways in which he will bring Vision 2020 which was introduced by his predecessor Mani Shankar Aiyar into reality. If he is indeed able to tackle this mammoth task, there will be an unabated spurt of development in the North East as is envisioned in the Vision 2020 Document. 

The unveiling of the list of cabinet ministers the 15th Lok Sabha has indeed been favourable to the Northeastern part of India. The balanced mix of youthful energy and wisdom that comes with experience in the region’s MPs bodes well for the development of the region as a whole. All that remains to be seen now is how they will perform and how influential they can be in the greater arena of national politics. 

EP Desk