Winnerson may chair session to save Speaker

SHILLONG: Congress legislator Winnerson D Sangma, who resigned from the post of Parliamentary Secretary, may chair the session when the resolution for the removal of Assembly Speaker AT Mondal is taken up on Friday next.
Sources said on Saturday that the intention of the Chief Minister to effect the resignation of Winnerson was aimed at entrusting him with the new role to deal with the no confidence motion against the Speaker, which the Chief Minister feels others cannot handle.
Besides Winnerson, others in the panel of chairpersons include Dikkanchi D. Shira (Congress), wife of Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, and Titosstarwell Chyne (UDP) and Witting Mawsor (HSPDP) from the Opposition.
According to sources, since Shira may come under pressure from the Opposition during the resolution, Winnerson will be entrusted with the task.
The role of chairman assumes significance since the Assembly does not have a deputy speaker for more than a year.
In March last year, Sanbor Shullai quit the post of deputy speaker prior to a similar no confidence motion against the Speaker and Congress legislator Ronnie Lyngdoh, who chaired the session, saved the day for the Congress.