Tura, March 21: The BJP in Garo Hills has lost a senior leader to its rival NPP in the South Garo Hills district after former MLA Samuel M Sangma switched sides on Thursday.
The changeover doesn’t bode well for the saffron party that has tried unsuccessfully to penetrate the tribal dominated southern district of Garo Hills which sends 3 MLAs to the state assembly and five MDCs to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council.
Samuel M Sangma was an undefeated MLA of Baghmara for 10 long years, successfully contesting as an Independent, but switched over to the BJP just weeks before the 2023 assembly elections.
The saffron party fielded him from Baghmara constituency with an assurance of victory, only to face defeat at the hands of his friend turned foe Kartush Marak, an Independent who has now allied with the NPP led MDA government in the state.
Prior to the delimitation of assembly constituencies which compelled him to switch to Baghmara constituency, he was the MLA representing Barengapara (Dalu) constituency in the border belt of West Garo Hills. He was also an associate member of the UDP in the previous state assembly.
The switching over by Sangma to the NPP is significant in this upcoming political contest for the Tura Lok Sabha seat as the BJP is now without a leader and support base in the southern tip of Garo Hills, where a considerable chunk of votes prevail.
Samual Sangma’s entry is sweet music to the ears of the NPP and the former MLA and his large contingent of supporters were given a rousing welcome by the Conrad K Sangma led party with senior leaders and cabinet ministers Marcuise Marak and Rakkam A Sangma holding an official induction ceremony at the Baghmara NPP office to welcome him into their fold.
In the last assembly elections held in 2023, the contest for Baghmara seat was a battle between Kartush and Samuel, in which the former prevailed. It was also a contest where the largest chunk of votes was shared between the two main contestants.
This time, Agatha K Sangma of the NPP goes into battle to retain her Tura Lok Sabha seat confident in knowing that her southern flank is secured by the consolidation of votes belonging to the biggest political shareholders from the assembly polls in Baghmara.
