P A Sangma Biography

Born on 1st September 1947 in the Indian state of Meghalaya, Mr. Purno Agitok Sangma is the current representative of the Tura constituency in the west Garo Hills district in the eighth Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.

He was the ex-Chief Minister of Meghalaya and former speaker of Lok Sabha. As a co-founder of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), he stayed a member of the Lok Sabha for eight terms. Sangma is a man of many roles; before joining politics he started his career from being a lecturer, lawyer and journalist.

Mr. P. A. Sangma was born in Chapathi village in west Garo Hills, Meghalaya. After completing his bachelor’s degree from St. Anthony’s College in Shillong, he further studied from Dibrugarh University in Assam for his Masters degree in International Relations and subsequently obtained a degree in Law. His parents are Mr. Dipchon Ch. Marak and Mrs. Chimri A. Sangma. He is married to Soradini K. Sangma and has two Sons: Conrad Sangma and James Sangma and two daughters: Agatha Sangma and Christie Sangma. His daughter Agatha Sangma was elected in the same constituency and is the youngest Minister of the State. Conrad Sangma, his son is the Leader of the Opposition party in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.

Mr. P. A. Sangma has held several posts during his political tenure like; the post of Union Industry Minister where he improved the production potential of the Cement Industry to the point of self sufficiency. As a Coal Minister, he turned it into a profit generating enterprise. As Commerce Minister, he introduced plantation crops for export in areas of the North-East India. As Labor Minister he began social security measures in the Indian economy and introduced pension and wages schemes for industrial workers and unorganized labor sector. As Minister of Information and Broadcasting, he worked for liberalized usage of airwaves and investments in the electronic media. As a Speaker, he guided Parliamentary Committees and created a group to report on Ethics and Standards in Public Life.

Career:

In 1973, P. A. Sangma became the vice-president of the Pradesh Youth Congress in Meghalaya.
In the next year became the General Secretary and served the post from 1975 to 1980.
In 1977, Sangma was elected to the 6th Lok Sabha from Tura constituency and stayed as a member until the 14th Lok Sabha, except in the 9th Lok Sabha.
He worked with the Union Government of India under various capacities from 1980 to 1988.
Mr. P. A. Sangma served from 1988 to 1990 as the Chief Minister of Meghalaya.
In 1991, he was once again elected to the Lok Sabha and served the Union government.
In 1996 he became the Speaker of Lok Sabha.
In 2004, P. A. Sangma created a divide in the NCP. After losing a clash for the NCP election symbol, Sangma later merged with Trinamool Congress, forming the Nationalist Trinamool Congress.
In 2005, He resigned from his Lok Sabha seat as a member of All India Trinamool Congress and got reelected as Nationalist Congress Party candidate in February 2006.
In March 2008, he resigned from 14th Lok Sabha and took part in Meghalaya Legislative Assembly elections.
In 20th June 2012, Mr. Sangma resigned from Nationalist Congress Party after resentment over his Presidential candidate entry.

P. A. Sangma has recently enrolled for the 2012 presidential polls and his candidature has been proposed by All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and freshly he is being supported by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as well.