James Pangsang Kongkal Sangma (born 21 November 1975), better known as James Sangma or James P. K. Sangma, is an Indian politician from Meghalaya. He has represented the state in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Parliament of India, since July 2026. A senior leader of the National People's Party (NPP), he has served as the party's first National Working President since March 2025 and, since January 2026, as President of the Meghalaya Cricket Association (MCA).
He was a three-term member of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly (2008–2023) representing Dadenggre and held several cabinet portfolios—including Home, Power, Law, Food & Civil Supplies, and Forest & Environment—in the Conrad Sangma ministry between 2018 and 2023. He subsequently chaired the Meghalaya Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) from 2023 until his resignation in June 2026 to contest the Rajya Sabha seat.
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Early life and education
Sangma was born in Tura to the political family of former Lok Sabha Speaker P. A. Sangma. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Ramjas College, University of Delhi. Like his siblings—Conrad and Agatha—he entered politics early, campaigning for his father in parliamentary elections.
Political career
Entry and rise (2008–2017)
2008 – first elected to the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly from Rongchugiri as a NCP candidate.
2009–2013 – served as Leader of the Opposition.
2013 – re-elected, now on the NPP ticket after the party's formation by P. A. Sangma.
Cabinet minister (2018–2023)
Following the 2018 election, Sangma entered the Conrad-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government. Over the next five years he simultaneously headed Home (Police), District Council Affairs, Power, Law, Food & Civil Supplies, Forest & Environment and Health.
Controversies and reshuffles
In 2020–21 coalition partners and the opposition demanded his removal over alleged irregularities in the state-owned Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL). Amid pressure, the Home portfolio was re-allocated in February 2020 and Power in September 2021.
Electoral setback (2023)
In the 2023 assembly election he lost Dadenggre to Trinamool Congress candidate Rupa M. Marak by 18 votes, ending a 15-year stint as MLA.
National Working President of NPP (2025–present)
Despite the defeat, the NPP elevated Sangma to National Working President in March 2025 during its organisational overhaul for 2025–28, tasking him with pan-India expansion of the party.
Rajya Sabha (2026–present)
In June 2026, the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance unanimously endorsed Sangma as its common candidate for Meghalaya's lone Rajya Sabha seat, following the retirement of incumbent Wanweiroy Kharlukhi. He resigned as MIDC chairman on 4 June 2026, since the post is treated as an office of profit, but retained the MCA presidency, which is not subject to the same restriction. With rival candidates withdrawing, Sangma was declared elected unopposed and received his certificate of election on 11 June 2026. He said he would press the Meghalaya Assembly's resolutions for the inclusion of Khasi and Garo in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution and for implementation of the Inner Line Permit in the state. He took the oath as Rajya Sabha MP on 20 July 2026, administered by Chairman C. P. Radhakrishnan.
Chairmanship of the Meghalaya Industrial Development Corporation
Sangma was appointed Chairman of MIDC in April 2023, shortly after his assembly-election defeat. He took over a corporation that had reportedly recorded twelve consecutive years of losses and had been run with outdated operating practices.
According to MIDC and Sangma, a series of measures during his tenure returned the corporation to profitability in the 2023–24 financial year, to the point of covering staff salaries without government support; these measures included recovering long-outstanding dues from debtors, disposing of non-performing assets such as its stake in Meghalaya Gases, a one-time-settlement scheme to write off decades-old bad debt, and registering with credit bureaus CIBIL, TransUnion and Experian to become a recognised business facilitation centre. These financial claims have been reported in regional press but have not been independently verified against audited public accounts.
On 22 April 2024, MIDC became the first state public sector undertaking in Meghalaya to receive ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certification, covering quality management and environmental sustainability respectively, and the corporation went on to receive the COSIDICI National Award for Outstanding Performance in December 2024. Under his chairmanship MIDC also secured a ₹200 crore investment from Varun Beverages for a PepsiCo bottling plant, one of the larger private investments the corporation facilitated during this period.
In March 2025, Sangma was elected Vice President of the Council of State Industrial Development & Investment Corporations of India (COSIDICI), the national association of state industrial development corporations, for the 2025–26 term, in recognition of MIDC's turnaround under his chairmanship.
He resigned in June 2026 to contest the Rajya Sabha election; Sohra MLA Gavin Miguel Mylliem was appointed his successor on 11 June 2026.
President of the Meghalaya Cricket Association
Election (2025)
Sangma, representing the Tura District Cricket Association, was elected President of the MCA's Apex Council on 19 December 2025, defeating Sengnab Momin and Arwotki Sumer, succeeding Nababrata Bhattacharjee. The election, originally scheduled for 9 December, had been postponed after a High Court challenge from the Shillong Cricket Association; the court declined to intervene further and the poll proceeded. He formally assumed charge on 13 January 2026 and following his election to Rajya Sabha, said he would continue with MCA as well.
Policy initiatives
Environment State vision
As Forest & Environment minister, Sangma articulated a concept of turning Meghalaya into an "Environment State", promoting nature-based industries, carbon farming and biodiversity mapping. In October 2021, PETA India conferred on him its Progressive Business Concept Award in recognition of his plans to promote vegan pineapple-leather production in the state.
Mental Health and Social Care Policy (2022)
He spearheaded the Meghalaya Mental Health and Social Care Policy, approved on 29 November 2022, making the state the first in North-East India with a dedicated mental-health framework.
Other controversies
MeECL procurement and Saubhagya implementation – Allegations of favouritism and cost overruns led to a judicial inquiry; Sangma welcomed the probe, which later found no major procurement violations.
Illegal coal transportation – Opposition parties accused him of inaction against clandestine mining networks; no charges have been proven.
Awards and recognition
Progressive Business Concept Award (2021) from PETA India, for his vegan pineapple-leather initiative as Forest & Environment Minister.
Vice President, Council of State Industrial Development & Investment Corporations of India (COSIDICI), 2025–26 term.
COSIDICI National Award for Outstanding Performance (2024) – accepted on behalf of MIDC.
Dual ISO certification (2024) for MIDC quality and environmental management systems.