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The Voice of the People Party (VPP) may consider whether to stake a claim for the position of Leader of the Opposition in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly. Speaking to Meghalaya News 24 on Tuesday, VPP President Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit stated that the party will soon convene to discuss its position on the matter.
“The decision of the Speaker to appoint Congress legislator Ronnie V. Lyngdoh as Leader of the Opposition has encouraged us to consider claiming the post,” Basaiawmoit said. “However, as a party, we will sit and decide because we believe that the convention and traditional parliamentary practices need to be followed.”
Basaiawmoit highlighted that with only four MLAs, the VPP would require the support of either the TMC or Congress to make a viable claim. “We will think it over and leave it to the Speaker to resolve this issue,” he noted. “If there is a way where we can claim the post, maybe we will do it, but it all depends on securing the necessary support.”
The VPP leader concluded by saying that the party’s final decision will be made after careful deliberation within the parliamentary party.