Shillong, Feb. 14: Former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno A. Sangma?s support base in his home state seems to be on the wane. The results of the elections to the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Hills Autonomous District Councils, held on February 12, were declared today.
All the councils have 29 seats each. Sangma?s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) could manage only 11 out of the 87 seats in all the three district councils and failed to open its account in Khasi and Jaintia hills. The Congress is set to form the executive councils in all the three districts. While in Khasi Hills the Congress won 16 seats, in the Garo Hills it won 11. In Jaintia Hills, it is sharing maximum number of seats with the regional opponent United Democratic Party (UDP).
The results ? especially in the Garo Hills ? has come as a rude shock to Sangma?s Nationalist Congress Party, which is facing trouble in the national scenario as well. Sangma had personally supervised the party?s electioneering in the run-up to the district council poll in Garo hills.
Though the NCP may still succeed in cobbling up a coalition with the UDP, which won three seats, and Independents and smaller parties which won five seats in the Garo Hills, what has become a major worry for Sangma is his decreasing popularity.
The results may influence the Election Commission?s decision on the NCP?s political future. Sangma and NCP ?president? Sharad Pawar, who parted ways recently, have moved the Election Commission for the party name, flag and symbol. The commission, however, is yet to announce its decision.
NCP leaders were guarded in their comments and tried to put up a brave front. ?The results will not make any difference to Purno Sangma?s prospects in the Lok Shaba election, nor will it hamper his claim on the party,? state NCP president Edmund K. Sangma, who is an MLA from Daddengri, said.
Edmund Sangma also refused to subscribe to the view that a letter issued by the banned ANVC in favour of Purno Sangma had adversely affected his party?s interest. The letter was issued in the run-up to the district council polls.
Other NCP legislators like Ardhendhu Chaudhuri countered the view that the former Lok Sabha had lost popularity in his home state. Terming the results as ?a people?s verdict?, he said the split in the party at the national level could have led to ?some confusion in the people?s mind.
?Our leader (Purno Sangma) will come back with a thumping majority in the Lok Sabha poll and the district council results are no indication of his popularity,? the party legislators said.
Expectedly, the mood in the Congress camp here is upbeat. ?People have lost faith in Sangma and are unhappy with him,? former chief minister and Meghalaya Congress president Salseng Marak said.