Northeast Desk, 10th June: The political scene in Meghalaya’s West Garo Hills district braces for a significant transformation following the resignation of Saleng A Sangma, the longstanding legislator from the Gambegre assembly constituency, on June 10. Sangma’s exit sets the stage for a highly anticipated by-election in the region.
Sangma’s decision to step down follows his recent victory in the Lok Sabha elections, where he clinched the Tura parliamentary seat. In a formal communication addressed to Speaker Thomas A Sangma, the seasoned politician relinquished his role as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA).
The Congress party, to which Sangma is affiliated, now faces a challenging predicament, with its representation in the state assembly reduced to just four MLAs, equivalent to the strength of the regional Khasi party, Voice of the People (VPP). Sangma’s departure leaves the Garo Hills region devoid of any Congress presence in the state legislature.
Gambegre, a constituency that Sangma faithfully served for an impressive four terms, now confronts the prospect of a closely contested by-election. According to the guidelines of the Election Commission of India, the by-election to fill the vacant Gambegre assembly seat must be conducted within six months.
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