Purno Agitok Sangma (born September 1, 1949) is an Indian politician. He is a former Lok Sabha Speaker. He was a co-founder of the National Congress Party. Sangma is known for his humanist approach; few Indians view him as a Christian and so he doesn't have wide acceptance.

In January 2004, P.A.Sangma created a split in the NCP. This decision seems to happen after Sharad Pawar is becoming close to the NCP's former enemy Sonia Gandhi. After loosing a battle for the NCP election symbol, Sangma later merged his faction with Mamta Bannerjee's Trinamool Congress, forming the Nationalist Trinamool Congress.

In the Lok Sabha elections 2004 Sangma was one of two NTC MPs elected.

Notable Quotes

• "Adventurism is easy, but restraint is far more difficult." - Against nuclear weapons in Lok Sabha debate
• "Do you want to kill the whole world nine times? Do you want to kill the whole world 13 times? And, how can you kill a person a second time?" - Against nuclear weapons in Lok Sabha debate

External links

• Biography (http://speakerloksabha.nic.in/raw/SANGMA1.htm) - From Lok Sabha Speakers' official site
• XII LOK SABHA DEBATES (http://www.fas.org/news/india/1998/05/0829059801.htm) - Sangma's famous debate against nuclear weapons
• Interview with Sangma by Rediff on NCP split up (http://www.rediff.com/news/2004/jan/21inter.htm)

See also

• Politics of India
• Nuclear disarmament