MDA’s Metbah, Cong’s Winnerson file nomination for Speaker post

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SHILLONG | September 10, 2019:

Tourism Minister, Metbah Lyngdoh today resigned as the Cabinet Minister for contesting the Assembly Speaker post as the official nomine of the ruling Coalition Government.

Lyngdoh, who is the UDP legislator, submitted his resignation letter to Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma after the end of the Question Hour during the Autumn Session of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.

Later in the evening, the UDP legislator filed his nomination before Commissioner and Secretary of Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, Andrew Simons. Lyngdoh was accompanied by the MLAs of the coalition partners of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA).

It may be mentioned that the election of the Speaker post will be held on the final day of Autumn Assembly Session on September 13.

Talking to reporters, the UDP legislator expressed confidence that he will emerge victorious since it was a unanimous decision of all the alliance partners to project him as the consensus candidate.

Reacting to the opposition Congress' statement that the election is like the game of Chess as they are also hopeful to win, Lyngdoh said that he does not consider this election of the Speaker post as the game of Chess. "This is politics and we are holding a responsible position as elected members," the former Cabinet Minister added.

Meanwhile, the Congress nominee for the Speaker post, Winnerson D. Sangma also filed his nomination today.

Leader of Opposition, Dr Mukul Sangma who accompanied Winnerson during the filing of nomination told newsmen that the person who is holding the post of Speaker is expected to be neutral.

"Fighting of election for the filling up of the Speaker post is very important. It is not just to fill up the vacancy," Dr Mukul said.

In the 60-member Assembly with an effective strength of 59, the National People's Party, which leads the coalition government, has 21 members, United Democratic Party (eight), People's Democratic Front (four), two members each from Bharatiya Janata Party and Hill State People's Party, one member each from Nationalist Congress Party and Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement besides one independent member.

In the last election to the Speaker's post, Sangma was also the candidate of the Opposition, but he lost to late Dr Donkupar Roy, who was elected as Speaker in March, 2018. Late Dr Roy who represented Shella constituency since 1988, held the Speaker post from March 12, 2018 till his death.