Shillong, Oct 23: Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate for the Gambegre by-poll, Sadhiarani M Sangma, on Wednesday filed her nomination for the seat and said it would be an electoral battle between the TMC and the National People’s Party (NPP).
Ruling out any electoral threats from the Congress, Sangma said, “The fight is squarely between us (TMC) and the NPP which is fielding the Chief Minister’s wife. The Congress presence is not there. Majority of Congress workers and leaders have also joined us.”
The bye-election is necessitated after Congress’ sitting legislator Saleng A. Sangma had to vacate the seat after being elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) from Tura, earlier this year. The bye-election is slated to be held on November 13 and the counting will be on November 23.
The TMC candidate, who is also the wife of former cabinet minister Zenith M Sangma, further lashed out at the former MLA claiming the constituency has witnessed poor development over the years. “More than fifty percent of Gambegre is without any proper roads. Getting the sick to hospitals is a big challenge due to lack of roads. At times the patients have to be taken out of the ambulance and carried on foot just to reach the hospital,” she said.
The NPP has fielded Dr Mehtab Chandi A. Sangma, the wife of the CM Conrad K Sangma, to contest for the seat. Dr Mehtab would be making her electoral debut with the Gambegre by-poll, while Sadhiarani Sangma is experienced and currently the MDC in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC).
Dr Mehtab Chandi A. Sangma is slated to file her nomination papers on Thursday.
Sadhiarani Sangma contested from the Gambegre assembly constituency on two previous occasions unsuccessfully and lost to the then sitting MLA, Saleng A. Sangma (Congress). This is her third attempt to wrest the seat.
However, besides the TMC and NPP, four more candidates are vying the seat. Congress is fielding Jingjang M. Marak, a close aide of Saleng Sangma, while BJP is fielding sitting GHADC MDC from Tura and state vice president Bernard N Marak.
Meanwhile, Sengkrabirth Marak and Jerry A Sangma have filed their nomination as independent candidates. While Sengkrabirth filed his nomination on Tuesday, Jerry filed his nomination on Wednesday.
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