Speaker to Decide on Leader of Opposition and Chief Whip Appointment in Meghalaya Assembly by Evenin
Shillong, August 28: The decision regarding the appointment of the Leader of Opposition (LO) in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly and the Opposition Chief Whip will be announced by this evening. Talking to Meghalaya News 24, Meghalaya Assembly Speaker Thomas A Sangma confirmed the timeline, stating, “After this session ends, I am going to the office and then I will make my decision.”
When asked about the ease of decision-making following the TMC’s claim for the LO post, the Speaker explained, “I am not saying there is any difficulty, but for future references, I am taking my time and not making decisions hastily, so that in the future there will be clarity.”
Earlier, TMC Parliamentary Party leader Dr. Mukul Sangma officially staked his claim for the post of Leader of the Opposition. This followed Congress legislator Ronnie V Lyngdoh’s decision to support the TMC for this crucial position.
Speaker Thomas A Sangma informed the media on Wednesday that Ronnie V Lyngdoh has resigned from his role as Leader of the Opposition and has submitted a letter of support to the TMC. This action has paved the way for Dr. Mukul Sangma to claim the position of Leader of the Opposition.
With the backing of the lone Congress legislator, the TMC now holds a strength of six members in the Assembly, representing 10 percent of the house’s strength. The Speaker is currently reviewing the claim to ensure all procedures are followed correctly.
In addition to the Leader of the Opposition post, the TMC has also supported the Congress MLA for the position of Opposition Chief Whip, further solidifying the alliance between the two parties in the Assembly.