Our Special Correspondent
TURA:
The Congress in Garo Hills has lost a crucial leader of the party in Siju region to the National People’s Party (NPP) with former chief executive member of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), Alphonse A Sangma, meeting with sitting MLA of Rongara-Siju Rakkam A Sangma to announce his joining with the PA Sangma founded party.
Alphonse A Sangma represented Siju MDC seat in the GHADC for the Congress for well over two decades holding various crucial positions, including executive member for land and revenue, CEM and also Chairman of the GHADC.
His decision to join the NPP will deprive the Congress of a powerful opposition to the NPP in the Siju area which forms a crucial part of the Rongara-Siju assembly segment.
It will also pave the way for the NPP to have a direct fight with the congress in next year’s assembly elections where the grand old party plans to field former legislator Rophul S Marak.
While Rophul Marak is a powerful political leader in his bastion comprising of the coal rich Nangalbibra region, yet, the party could face hurdles in getting party workers to support it in the Siju region as the outgoing congress leader and former CEM prepares to merge his supporters with the NPP on October 25 in the presence of NPP president and chief minister Conrad K Sangma, when the latter lands in Siju to inaugurate the new block office.