Former RBI official joins Congress in Meghalaya

Tura (Meghalaya), April 2 (IANS) The Congress on Tuesday got a shot in the arm after former RBI Chief General Manager Beryl B. Sangma joined the party in support of former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, who is contesting from the Tura Lok Sabha seat.

"Having been a Senior Executive of RBI, I have seen the destructive damages done by the economic and fiscal policies of the BJP and NPP governments and now I am giving awareness to the people about their hollow election promises," Beryl Sangma said.

Disclosing that various political parties had approached him, he said: "I decided to join the Congress and support Mukul Sangma after conducting his own studies that this is the only political party which is actually working for the development of Garo Hills and Meghalaya as a whole."

Meghalaya's two Lok Sabha constituencies - Shillong and Tura - will go to polls on April 11.

Mukul Sangma, currently the Leader of Opposition in the Meghalaya Assembly, is pitted against former union minister Agatha Sangma of the National People's Party and Bharatiya Janata Party's Rikman G. Momin.

Beryl Sangma credited former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma for restoring peace in the five districts of Garo Hills which was once hit by militancy.

"He (Mukul) has done so much for the state including setting up new districts, civil sub divisions, police stations, opened so many schools, technical institutes, colleges, institutes of higher learning, hospitals, built good roads and bridges and improved communication," the former Reserve Bank of India official said.