2016: A politically volatile year for State

FROM A CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG, Dec 26: The year 2016 was another politically volatile year for Meghalaya even as the State saw the death of political stalwart and former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno Agitok Sangma, thus leaving a political vacuum which will be hard to be filled.

It was a particularly testing year for Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma who has been at the helm of affairs for two consecutive terms since 2010.

The troubles for Dr Sangma started with the defeat of his wife and fellow legislator Dikkanchi D Shira to Purno’s son Conrad K Sangma in the by-poll to the Lok Sabha seat.

Disgruntled Congress MLAs, who were waiting in the wings, pounced at the opportunity and demanded the resigtion of Dr Sangma. The AICC had to send their “observers” to scuttle the rebellion.  

The rebel MLAs could not zero in on a consensus leader for themselves thereby losing their case before the high command.

However, Dr Sangma had the last laugh with the Congress high command reposing their faith on him. The AICC also gave him the responsibility to lead the North East Congress Coordition Committee thereby putting him as the undisputed leader of the party in the state.

The year also saw the open rebellion of Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council chief, Pynshngain N Syiem against, Dr Sangma.

He was filly suspended from the Congress for his alleged anti-party activities. However, his suspension saw the resigtion of four other MDCs, from the party.

Even though the Chief Minister’s status as leader has become undisputed but the popularity of the Congress has somewhat waned seeing its performances in the Lok Sabha and autonomous district council by-poll.

In the Tura Lok Sabha by-poll the Congress was trounced by the tiol People’s Party. Even though, the Congress won two seats out of the seven which went to polls in the autonomous district council elections, Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh’s son was defeated from the Sohiong-Nongspung constituency.