All in the family: Sangma's daughter to contest from Tura

SHILLONG: Former Lok Sabha speaker PA Sangma���s daughter Agatha Kongkhal will be the NCP candidate for the May 22 by-election to Meghalaya���s Tura Lok Sabha seat. The NCP on Monday decided that Agatha would be its candidate for the seat, since Mr Sangma resigned after being elected as an MLA.

Party sources said Ms Agatha would be able to cash in on her father���s image and win the seat with ease. Mr Sangma has never lost from the Tura parliamentary seat since 1977, even though he changed party affiliation from Congress to Trinamool Congress and then to NCP.

A law graduate registered with the Delhi Bar Council, Ms Agatha has a string of degrees, including a masters in environmental management from the School of Geography, Nottingham University, UK.

She is also the consensus candidate of the ruling Meghalaya Progressive Alliance, which comprise UDP, Khnam, HSPDP, besides NCP and BJP. Mr Sangma���s two sons Conrad and James have won the recently-concluded assembly elections.