The dramatic downslide for the NCP was in the words of a party worker “terrifying”. When Agatha first contested the Tura seat in a by-poll, last year, she had trounced former PWD Minister Zenith Sangma by a huge margin of 98,000 votes. At that time, the entire Congress war machine was on the election campaign led by former Deputy Chief Minister and elder brother of Zenith, Dr Mukul Sangma.
In this election, the NCP appeared to have been over-confident and under-estimated their opponent, Deborah Marak, a one-time Deputy Chief Minister who had been defeated from her Assembly seat just one year back.
Out of the 24 Assembly seats in Garo Hills that make up the Tura parliamentary constituency, Agatha Sangma won in 16 constituencies while Deborah Marak won the remaining eight Assembly segments.
Agatha polled 1,54,462 votes while Deborah Marak obtained 1,36,523 votes. The ANC (D) candidate Boston Marak secured 39,664 votes while Independent Arlene N Sangma received 10,976 votes.
The sitting MP won in Kharkutta, Resubelpara, Bajengdoba, Songsak, Rongjeng, Williamnagar, Raksamgre, Selsella, Dadenggre, North and South Tura, Rangsakona, Gambegre, Dalu, Rongram and Chokpot.
Congress candidate Deborah Marak won in Mendipather, Tikrikilla, Phulbari, Rajabala, Ampati, Mahendraganj, Salmanpara and Baghmara.
The indication of a close fight was apparant from the beginning of the counting process as both contenders remained neck and neck in the contest.
The highest votes to be obtained by any of the four candidates went to Congresss Deborah C Marak in Rajabala where she secured 10,474 votes against Agatha’s 4,721 votes.
Even in the NCP bastion of Baghmara it was a neck and neck fight with Deborah securing 6,354 votes against Agatha’s 6,000 votes.
As the results began to trickle in it was the NCP that was left more stunned than the Congress. The NCP had expected a victory margin of over a lakh votes but the low percentage on polling day forced them to reassess their predictions. Even then, none from the party had any idea about the results that would unfold on May 16.
The outcome of the elections was also a huge surprise for the Congress which had not expected to better their performance from last year’s by-poll. But a vigorous campaign by Deborah appears to have dramatically sliced the victory margin.