The Battle Between the Sangmas

The election campaigning in Meghalaya had two main issues -- development and religion. Development and corruption were the sticks used to hound the INC, whereas religious freedom was used against the BJP. However, regardless of who said what, the battle was always between the Sangmas. Mukul Sangma, the incumbent Chief Minister of the INC since 2010, has just won from Ampati constituency against Bakul Hajong from the BJP. The other famous Sangmas are associated with the NPP. They are Agatha Sangma, Conrad Sangma, Thomas Sangma and James Sangma, all of whom are the children of former MP Purno A Sangma. The NPP has been accused of being a front for the BJP since it helped the BJP form the government in Manipur and is an NDA ally in Parliament. The NPP does not have a clear-cut alliance with the BJP in the Meghalaya polls.

The BJP, on the other hand, has performed dismally in Meghalaya, probably because the ‘anti-Christian’ tag may have been too difficult to shake off. The NPP, on the other hand, has fared much better, with both the NPP and INC securing around a third of the seats each. The question is whether the NPP will side with the BJP. The INC does not have a clear majority, but if the two parties were to form an alliance and form the government in Meghalaya it would prove to be a stable alliance commanding around two-thirds of the seats in the 60-member house. However, the NPP may lose its credibility in Meghalaya if it does so, considering the salvos they launched on the INC as an incumbent government. While the mainstream media focused much attention on the national parties running up to the polls the lesser known state parties have fared as well if not better than the BJP. The Hill State Peoples’ Democratic Party (HSPD) won as many seats as the BJP, while the United Democratic Party (UDP) and the People’s Democratic Front (PDF) were ahead of the saffron party.

Polling in the Williamnagar constituency has been deferred due to the death of NCP candidate Jonathone Sangma in an IED attack. His widow will be contesting from the constituency on an NCP ticket. There is a likelihood that she may win with a sympathy vote. However, the incumbent MLA of the constituency is none other than Deborah Marak. She has a pending case against her filed by late Jonathone Sangma following his defeat as an independent candidate in 2013. The case pertains to hiring militants to intimidate voters against him.

At present, it appears Meghalaya is heading for a hung assembly. The only variables in the equation between the NPP and INC are the state parties. The NPP is unlikely to side with the BJP, though they may win over the BJP candidates to their camp. Siding with the BJP would bring upon the NPP the anti-Christian tag, one that they could do without in Meghalaya as well as in Nagaland. Among the state parties, the UDP seems to be ripe for the picking, though the UDP is in an alliance with the HSPD and the GNC. The anti-incumbency sentiment is riding high in Meghalaya, even though the INC has secured the single largest majority. This may come in the way of other parties forming the government along with the INC.