NEW DELHI: After a prolonged period of political alienation from the high priestess of the Congress party Sonia Gandhi, NCP leader Purno A Sangma on Monday met the UPA Chairperson at her residence, signaling
the advent of a new spirit of bonhomie between the two.
Mr Sangma apparently sought an appointment with Mrs Gandhi to invite her to the wedding reception of his son Conrad Sangma, currently the leader of the Opposition in the Meghalaya Assembly, to be held in Delhi on June 7 next.
This may appear like an innocuous meeting but coming after a decade marked by deep turbulence in their political relationships, this meeting could herald a new dawn for the NCP in Meghalaya. What is even more heartwarming for the mercurial Mr Sangma is that the otherwise reserved Mrs Gandhi who rarely attends any high profile wedding reception, agreed to be present to bless the newly married couple.
Ms Agatha Sangma, who has become the new bridge between the 10 Janpath and her father, would be meeting Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra to invite them to the function.
Talking to The Shillong Times after the meeting, an ebullient Mr Sangma said the meeting was a family affair. "Soniaji was very receptive and was all praise for Agatha," he said adding she was particularly elated over Agatha taking oath in Hindi.
She seemed to have been impressed with Agatha's performance as an MP in the last Parliament. Incidentally, Agatha who was the youngest in the Parliament was among the few MPs who attended most of the sessions and participated actively.
Mr Sangma had not invited Sonia personally, during the reception of his daughter Christie's marriage in New Delhi five years ago. But she did send a good will message on the occasion.
When asked if there is any political significance to this meeting after such a long gap, Mr Sangma replied in the negative. But to a question on her foreign origin, the former Speaker said that the issue is almost dead with Sonia ji refusing to become Prime Minsiter not once but even twice.
"I am also meeting President, Vice-President, Prime Minister and other dignitaries to invite them to the function," Mr Sangma said. But his meeting with Sonia Gandhi after the induction of his daughter in the Union council of ministers and attempts to form a Congress NCP coalition in Meghalaya has much significance.
Political analysts predict NCP's merger with Congress since both have no ideological differences and are in coalition both at the Centre and in Maharashtra and Goa. NCP has also failed to grow in Maharashtra, Meghalaya and other states and its tally remained the same as in the last Lok Sabha.
If both parties merge the same would be reflected in Meghalaya too, the analysts said. The Purno-Sonia meet lasted about half an hour.