CM’s sister Agatha K Sangma resigns as South Tura MLA

SHILLONG, JULY 2: National People’s Party (NPP) legislator from South Tura Agatha K Sangma today tendered her resignation as member of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly to pave way for her brother and chief minister Conrad K Sangma to contest from the seat.

Agatha, who is also the chairperson of the Meghalaya State Council for Climate Change and Sustainable Development (MSCCSD), submitted her resignation to the Assembly’s deputy speaker Timothy D Shira in the absence of the Speaker Donkupar Roy here on Monday.

In a notification “Kumari Agatha K Sangma, member, Meghalaya Legislative Assembly who was elected from South Tura has resigned from membership of the House with effect from July 2. The Speaker Donkupar Roy has accepted her resignation,” Assembly’s Commissioner & Secretary Andrew Simons said in a notification issued on this regard.

Speaking over phone, Agatha, who is also a former Tura MP, said that her resignation was a collective decision made for the greater interest of the state, the party and the government.

“You know our chief minister Conrad K Sangma has to be election to the Assembly by September, so a seat has to be vacated for him and South Tura happens to be one of the most convenient seats,” she said.

Conrad, who is also the NPP national president and Tura MP, was sworn in as the chief minister of the state on March 6. The NPP is leading the three-month-old six-party Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government.

Asked, Agatha further expressed full confidence that her brother will retain the South Tura seat in the upcoming bye-election.

“He (Conrad) is going to definitely win and there is no question about that. The people of South Tura are feeling extremely excited as Conrad, being the chief minister and also being such a capable leader is going to be their MLA,” she added.

Whether she would be contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections to be held next year, Agatha said, “We have not officially decided on that. Once we as a party decide on what is going to happen in the elections probably I will be in a position to comment on that.”

Meanwhile, the former South Tura MLA said that she would continue to be the chairperson of the Meghalaya State Council for Climate Change and Sustainable Development (MSCCSD) and ensures the body functions effectively.

“I will continue to be the chairperson of the MSCCSD, so I really intent to work in a very appropriate manner in this area and I look forward to making it more effective because this is a body that existed in the past with the past governments as well but it was not a very functional body at that time. I really hope that I will be able to make it a more functional and a more effective body,” she added.

By Our Reporter