Tura, Jan 31: The tussle for power in the GHADC between Benedic R Marak as CEM against his own party-the NPP ended with him losing power in two successive battles.

Two days after losing the no-confidence motion brought against him by the ruling NPP, ousted CEM Benedic Marak failed to recover any lost ground despite gaining the support of the opposition Trinamool Congress.

On Monday, the ousted CEM Benedic Marak lost in the election to elect a new CEM despite being the opposition candidate.

Former Chairman of GHADC Rakesh A Sangma, a giant killer in last year’s council polls when he defeated sitting MLA Saleng A Sangma of the NCP from Babelapara MDC constituency, won the CEM’s election.

The secret ballot conducted for the CEM election on Monday saw Rakesh A Sangma winning 15 votes against Benedic Marak’s 13 votes. Rakesh Sangma, at 39 years of age, is the youngest CEM of GHADC in recent history.

The results were the same during the no-Confidence motion that took place on Saturday when ousted CEM Benedic Marak lost by two votes, as well.

Monday’s election saw two BJP MDCs, Bernard Marak of Tura and Promod Koch of Barengapara constituency voting in favour of the Trinamool backed candidate and former CEM.

From the ruling side, two rebel Trinamool MDCs, Stevie Marak of Boldamgre and Habibuz Zaman of Shyamnagar, together with UDP MDC Ashahel D Shira voted to ensure the victory of Rakesh A Sangma.

On voting day, all 29 elected MDCs of the GHADC, including Deputy Chairman Albinush Marak, attended the special session. The Deputy Chairman who chaired the session did not cast his vote since there was no tie in voting.

Will do my best for GHADC and its employees’

Newly elected CEM Rakesh A Sangma has told Hub News that as head of the council he would do his utmost to ensure successful running of the council administration.

The new CEM, on his first official duty on Monday, had a meeting with the council officers in his chamber to chalk out various programmes.

“I assured them that every effort will be made to provide four months pending salaries within February itself because this is also the month for school admissions for children,” said CEM Rakesh A Sangma.