Tynsong for MDA consensus
SHILLONG: Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has remained non- committal on the demand for a UDP Speaker and supporting UDP candidate for Shella bypoll.
A party delegation led by interim president Bindo Lanong met the chief minister on Tuesday evening to discuss the twin issues.
Conrad has assured the UDP that MDA government should work together in tandem to see that it completes its full term in office while adding that the he alone cannot take a decision to support the UDP candidate for Shella bypoll besides agreeing for a UDP MLA as the new Speaker of the Assembly.
Lanong said besides the Shella bypoll, the delegation discussed about the post of the Speaker, which is vacant after the death of Donkupar Roy.
“We apprised the chief minister that the party is of the opinion that the vacancy should be filled up by anyone from the UDP because the vacancy was created due to the death of UDP president, Dr Donkupar Roy,” Lanong said.
During the meeting, Lanong also suggested to the Chief Minister that for the upcoming coming bypoll in Shella, it would be good if the ruling MDA supports the UDP candidate because Roy was a UDP MLA from Shella.
“We thought that it will be a kind of demonstration of oneness and unity of the ruling MDA government,” he said.
Lanong also said the chief minister listened very attentively to the suggestions of the UDP and mentioned about the procedure that he alone will not be able to take a call on these issues and that he will consult his party.
Deputy Chief Minister and senior NPP leader Prestone Tynsong has agreed that electing a new Speaker is not the prerogative of the UDP but a consensus decision of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA).
He said the coalition would take along every one and take a consensus decision on the matter.
When asked if electing a new Speaker is not the prerogative of the UDP but a consensus decision of the MDA, Tynsong said, “Yes it is true. We will take everyone along and take a collective decision ultimately.
Informing that the MDA would meet within this month to discuss about the upcoming Shella bypoll and the election of the Speaker, he informed that during the formation of the MDA, Donkupar Roy being the senior most leader himself offered to be the Speaker and there was no discussion beyond that.
To a query, whether there is any division in the alliance for arriving at a consensus for supporting the candidature of UDP for the Shella bypoll, he said be it UDP, NPP or any other political party, they have their own ideology and there is no question of any dispute.
“If you talk about consensus, we are yet to discuss about it and we will discuss the matter in a proper platform,” he said.