Shillong, Oct 3 : It was meant to have been a smooth walk over from one party to another through the corridors of the Speaker’s office, given the assumed clout of their leader. Shockingly, it turned out to be a misstep – one that will have lasting repercussions on the political future of Congress legislative Party leader Dr Mukul Sangma.

The pace at which the former Chief Minister mustered up his numbers for an alleged switch over from the Congress, in retaliation for the appointment of Shillong MP, Vincent H. Pala, as MPCC President, initially took everyone by surprise.

Having led the government for eight long years and with a long list of supporters and “loyalists” Dr Sangma had banked on them to be by his side when the inevitable took place. But that predictable move never happened, leaving the once “powerful” Congress leader at crossroads.

Meghalaya politics’ “Chanakya” makes a wrong move

But why did it not happen and what led to this failed political move from a politician who was once considered the “Chanakya” of state politics? There are many reasons, answers and even assumptions.

With Assembly elections just 18 months away and the opposition hitting the ruling NPP hard with accusations of corruption and poor governance, the Congress sensed victory.

There was the belief that voter fatigue was setting in for late Purno Sangma’s party and people were looking for a change.

With a dozen aspirants, veterans and others fast making a beeline for party tickets, it was natural that the man with the deciding factor on candidate selection, in this case the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee President would be the king maker, if not the king himself.

Keeping this in mind, Dr Mukul Sangma was batting for his younger brother and Rangsakona MLA, Zenith M Sangma, to take over as the state party chief. It would serve well to have the CLP leader and the state party boss in the same equation when it came to candidates’ selection. A victorious party candidate would surely owe his or her loyalty to the person who gave the once in a lifetime political break to them.

The number game that didn’t add up

The fact that almost all the Garo Hills Congress MLAs, Dr Mukul Sangma, his wife Dikkanchi D Shira, daughter Miani D Shira, his brother Zenith Sangma, loyalist Winnerson  D Sangma of Salmanpara, and Chokpot MLA Lazarus Sangma had come together, was a major force.

According to Congress sources, Tikrikilla and Mendipather Congress legislators were the only remaining party MLAs who were less inclined to play ball with the new equation mooted by the former Chief Minister.

The numbers not adding up to touch the magical figure of 13 MLAs to avoid the anti-defection law, the poaching crossed over to the Khasi and Jaintia Hills region.

It was here that the Chief Minister for eight long years met his waterloo.

Barring Dr Mukul Sangma loyalist and Mawsynram MLA Himalaya Shangpliang, who allegedly answered the call of his leader and was closeted in his residence along with Nongpoh MLA Marylborn Lyngdoh and two other party legislators, the remaining members didn’t play ball.

Pala reins in party leaders in time to thwart rebellion

Down but not out, a group of senior Congress leaders, led by Pala, quickly went into damage control and gained the upper hand as they called up their legislators warning of the repercussions to one’s political future of leaving a party that has deep roots in the state for generations. Announcing their loyalty to the grand old party, most legislators suddenly became incommunicado with the rebel camp, forcing it to lose steam.

“One of them even told the Dr Mukul camp when they reached out to him, that he was away in his distant constituency and couldn’t come even though he was very much in the city,” another Congress leader reveals.

With the numbers fast dwindling and not even any way near to a double digit mark, the proposed meeting of Dr Mukul Sangma and his loyalists who sought an audience with Assembly Speaker Metbah Lyngdoh in the Assembly Secretariat, came a cropper.

“This attempt by a senior leader of our party has exposed his true color. It also shows that the Congress party is united in the state and cannot be split no matter how big and powerful one may consider himself to be,” claimed a party legislator, though it came very close to having the tag of a divided old party.

The rest is history.