TURA, April 12 – In what is being seen as an attempt to gain the upper hand by either of the two parties, the Indian National Congress (INC) and the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), in the run-up to the April 20 Parliamentary elections at Tura, each have accused the other of poll violations and character assasinations while trying to woo the voters of the three districts of Garo Hills.
Purno Sangma’s campaigners have accused the Opposition Congress of targetting the former Speaker with an array of character assasination campaigns. They filed a complaint with the Returning Officer for Tura parliamentary seat accusing the INC of pasting posters in which Purno depicts himself as more powerful than God. They also claim that pamplets are being distributed about Purno Sangma joining the BJP and restricting the sale of beef in this predominantly tribal Christian region.
The Congress, on the other hand, has also filed complaints with the RO accusing Purno Sangma of trying to hide behind the veil of the Nationalist Trinamool Congress (NTC) when in reality he is a candidate of the AITC under Mamta Banerjee. He has been accused of failing to print the name of his printer and the number of posters printed while at the sametime using the NTC name along with the symbol of the AITC in the posters. Congress workers have also complained about Purno Sangma’s campaigners misinforming the voters about the identity of Dr Mukul Sangma.