Abdus Saleh

Saleh was born into a Bengali Muslim family in the plain region of the West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya to parents Abdul Gofur and Sahara Begum. Late Abdul Gofur was also a social worker and political leader of Mahendraganj. Abdul Gafur, who was a close associate of Purno A. Sangma, passed away due to cardiac arrest while at a meeting with Purno A. Sangma in 1983.

Saleh graduated from St. Edmund's College (affiliated with North-Eastern Hill University) in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.[1][2]

In 1999, Abdus Saleh married Sultana Atifa, with whom he has two daughters.

Saleh began his political career in the 1997 Meghalaya Legislative Assembly by-election where he won as an Independent candidate. In 1998 he contested and won as an Indian National Congress candidate for the Mahendraganj constituency. He was unsuccessful as an independent candidate during the 2003 Meghalaya Legislative Assembly election. He rejoined the Congress party for the 2008 Meghalaya Legislative Assembly election and was successful once again.[3]

After reservation of the Mahendraganj Constituency, Saleh joined the fray for the Rajabala constituency in 2013, but was unsuccessful in both the 2013 and 2018 Meghalaya Legislative Assembly elections, in both of which he stood as an Independent candidate. The sudden demise of Dr. Azad Zaman necessitated a by-election for the Rajabala seat, which was held at the end of October 2021. Abdus Saleh, competing as the National People's Party candidate emerged successful.[4]

In a historical feat, Saleh has become the only person in Meghalaya to have won two separate by-elections, from two separate constituencies, almost 25 years apart.

Saleh has held important portfolios of the Meghalaya Government. He was the Minister of State in charge of Finance, Agriculture and Health under E.K. Mawlong's leadership in 2001. He was the Minister of State in charge of Power and PHC in 2002 under the leadership of Dr. F.W. Khonglam. Under Mukul Sangma's leadership, Saleh was the Parliamentary Secretary of Home, Transport and Taxation from 2009 to 2013. He has also served as the Chairman of Meghalaya Government Construction Corporation from 1999, and the co-chairman of Meghalaya Industrial Development Corporation from 2014. He was also Chairman of Minority in Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee, and the Chairman of the Meghalaya State Waqf Board.

Currently, Abdus Saleh is serving as the Chairman of the Meghalaya State Planning Board under the leadership of Conrad K. Sangma.