SHILLONG: A day before the winter session of the Assembly, the Opposition NPP on Thursday withdrew the resolution to remove Speaker AT Mondal.
The three-day session is on Friday, Wednesday and Thursday.
NPP legislator James Sangma said one of the reasons for serving the resolution to remove the Speaker was that he had delayed in convening the session.
“However, when we served the resolution on November 21, no session was called, and now we decided to withdraw the resolution since the session has already been convened by the Speaker,” James said, citing the reason for serving the resolution.
He also said after the informal discussion with the opposition members on Thursday, he decided to withdraw the resolution.
Opposition leader Donkupar Roy had said since time was too short, moving the resolution against the Speaker or the government was unnecessary.
Earlier in the evening, the chief minister had said he was informed that the no confidence motion was withdrawn.
Before the development, the Speaker told media persons that the resolution against him had nothing to do with the collapse of the government.
He said a new Speaker will be elected if he is removed and added that government will not be affected by it. “Resolution to remove Speaker and no confidence motion against the Speaker are different”, he said.
Asked whether the removal of the Speaker will help some legislators to join the parties of their choice to escape disqualification, Mondal maintained that the provisions of the Tenth Schedule would continue to stand even if he was removed.
Asserting that he had admitted two similar resolutions against him brought by the Opposition, Mondal said he would look at the merit of the resolution before taking a call on the one moved by James.
Mondal recalled that he had even admitted a no confidence motion against the chief minister which was deliberated in the House.
