Tura, June 3: If the sound decibels were to translate into votes, then the Congress’ Saleng Sangma has outrightly won the prestigious Tura Lok Sabha seat.

But then similar noises were also made in 2004 when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was projected to bring back the BJP led NDA front to power in the centre.

In the din that was created by the BJP’s “India Shining” campaign, a silent Congress stole the show and Dr Manmohan Singh went on to script history becoming prime minister for two consecutive terms under the UPA alliance.

Well, the NPP in Garo Hills believes a similar story will be played out tomorrow when votes are counted.

The party is banking on the silent voters to romp home in the Lok Sabha elections from Tura.

Given the high profile campaigning towards the last leg, the numbers game is no longer precise.

“It is too tight to project an actual figure, but given the history of elections in Garo Hills we believe Agatha will sail through, although the margin will be small,” says NPP pollsters.

But Congress believes they are on the verge of scripting history by snatching the Tura seat from the hands of Late P A Sangma’s family.

“Look at the discussions everywhere- be it online or in public. Everyone has been talking only of the Congress campaign and voting. No one is mentioning about the NPP winning. The tide has turned,” believes Congress leaders from Garo Hills.

For a party that was, till the other day, lost in the wilderness with no game plan, let alone a candidate, it has been a surprising turn of events.

The needle turned in favour of the Congress as campaigning picked up and the NPP stumbled on the BJP steps.

Decision of the NPP to support the BJP candidates in the north east seats by not contesting, and the BJP reciprocating the same by withdrawing from any contest to the Tura and Shillong seats and announcing its support to Agatha in Tura and Ampareen in Shillong became Conrad Sangma’s Achilles Heel.

The attacks on Christian minority Kukis in Manipur and the BJP’s silence and failure to end the atrocities has plaguing the minds of many citizens in Meghalaya.

Then the attacks on Christian missionary schools in Assam by hindu right wing elements further raised fear in the state.

Chief minister Conrad K Sangma’s statement to BJP workers seeking support for NPP candidates ” A vote for NPP is a vote for BJP” was meant to rekindle the bonhomie of the BJP NPP alliance.

Instead it opened a Pandora’s box for the NPP. The Congress went to town equating the NPP with the saffron party that stood accused of abetting the Manipur violence-in other words Lady Macbeth’s blood stained hands which all the perfumes of Arabia couldn’t rid it of the blood stench.

With everything going haywire for the NPP, the Congress feels they are well on the road to victory.

Unless, Delhi’s 2004 story is reenacted in Meghalaya.

When a section of voters leaning towards a particular party makes repeated claims of victory, it is natural for others, to hold their tongue and give their respond only at the ballot box. That may have been the case in Tura.

Read: Skill Meghalaya initiative| 27 Meghalaya Nurses Set to Work in Japan

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