Mukul Sangma leaves old constituency, keeps Songsak

Leader of the opposition Mukul Sangma of the Congress, who was elected from two Assembly seats in the February 27 polls, today resigned from Ampati, his old constituency, an Assembly official said.

The former chief minister was elected for six consecutive times from Ampati in South West Garo Hills district and this time also contested successfully from Songsak in East Garo Hills district.

"We have received the resignation letter of Mukul Sangma from Ampati Assembly constituency, one of the two constituencies he was elected from," Assembly commissioner and secretary Andrew Simons told PTI.

Sangma was ousted from power on March 7 though the Congress emerged as the single-largest party in the elections.

"Songsak is a constituency which requires lots of nurturing, lots of attention and I would love to do so," Sangma told journalists, claiming that he inherited Ampati constituency in a similar state where development was missing.

Sangma, who was the chief minister since 2010, defeated his nearest BJP rival Bakul Ch Hajong by over 6,000 votes in Ampati. In Songsak, he defeated his nearest National People's Party rival Nihim D Shira by over 1,300 votes.

Congress sources said Sangma's eldest daughter Miani D Shira could be the party candidate from Ampati when by-poll would be held there.

Sangma's wife Dikkanchi D Shira and brother Zenith M Sangma also won the Assembly election. The Congress' strength now is 20 in the House of 60.