SHILLONG:
Chief minister Conrad Sangma, on July 18, said that his father (L) Purno A Sangma’s dream of seeing a tribal becoming president of the country is nearing fulfillment.
“Today we are heading in that direction. The day today is not only important for the tribal people but also for all the women in the country,” said the Chief Minister, after casting his vote in the presidential election, at the assembly, Rilbong.
The Chief Minister also added that if National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) presidential nominee Draupadi Murmu becomes the President, issues of the tribal people in the country will get national focus.
“That is what all of us are expecting but to claim that all the issues of the tribal people will be resolved after she becomes the President is a little far-fetched. One thing is for sure that it will have a huge impact on the overall scenario,” he said.
Reacting to demands of several pressure groups which urged the legislators to cast their vote in the presidential poll keeping in mind issues such as implementation of inner line permit (ILP), Conrad said that the government has done everything in its power in this regard and now the ball is at the Centre’s court.
“The legislature has done what it could and now the ball is in the Centre’s court. We, however, will continue to engage with the Centre and see that it reaches its logical conclusion,” he reiterated.
Meanwhile, referring to Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) decision to field a tribal woman as its presidential candidate, leader of opposition Mukul Sangma asked the people of the state not to be misguided by the rhetoric of BJP and alleged that the party usually “don’t do what they say” and with this nomination, the saffron party is just trying to appease the tribal population.
Earlier in the day, two cabinet ministers – James K Sangma and Sniawbhalang Dhar – of the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) and two MLAs of the Opposition All India Trinamool Congress Party in Meghalaya on Monday gave the presidential election a miss.
The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Frederick Kharkongor said that the presidential election concluded with the participation of 56 MLAs out of 60 and the lone Rajya Sabha member WR Kharlukhi. Official sources informed that James is in the UK, while Dhar just got discharged from the hospital and is recovering from a spinal injury.
AITC legislator Marthon Sangma could not make it for the polls as he tested Covid-19 positive and there was no communication from his party colleague, Shitlang Pale on the reason for his absence.
Former Rajya Sabha MP and Advisor to the Chief Minister Thomas A Sangma casted the first vote, while Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement MLA Adelbert Nongrum casted the last vote of the day.
Leaders of other political parties – United Democratic Party president and Speaker of the Assembly Metbah Lyngdoh, People’s Democratic Front president Banteidor Lyngdoh, BJP Minister Sanbor Shullai, Hill State People’s Democratic Party Minister Renikton Tongkhar also voted.
Backed by the BJP, the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance led by the NPP has the regional parties as coalition partners and all are voting in favour of the BJP candidate.
Five suspended Congress MLAs also casted their votes and all in favour of the NDA nominee. “I voted in favour of Draupadi and I am proud of her achievement. This is a record of sorts for the tribals in the country,” former minister Ampareen Lyngdoh said, informing that all her other four colleagues also voted in favour of Murmu.