Roy against ‘legalised defection’

SHILLONG: Terming M.M Danggo’s resigning from the Congress as ‘legalised defection’ Assembly Speaker Donkupar Roy on Monday said the existing law should be amended to ensure that legislators complete their full term instead of resigning according to their whims and fancies.
There should be amendment to the law which will prevent an elected representative from joining another party by resigning from the original party. The law should ensure that the legislator completes his/her full term”, Roy told reporters.
“I personally don’t believe in defection but the recent case may be termed as legalised defection,” he said.
According to Roy, legally, there is no problem for any elected MLA to resign and join another party, but this trend defeats the purpose of the anti-defection law.
Roy added that people who had voted for Danggo in the last election will not be happy with the decision.
Moreover, the government has to incur additional expenditure for the by-election since Danggo was elected only on March 3.
He, however, added that Danggo is free to take his own decision and even Ampareen Lyngdoh had resigned from the UDP and was subsequently re-elected on a Congress ticket.
Reacting to a query about the urgency to accept the resignation letter of Danggo which was delivered to the Speaker in Kolkata, Roy said that he can accept the resignation letter anywhere and it can be delivered by the person concerned or anyone else.
“Once a person resigns, it is up to the Speaker whether to accept it or not, but how can I refuse a resignation. I have to accept the letter,” Roy added.