By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 30: Lok Sabha member and Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president, Vincent H Pala on Thursday said that the ruling of the Assembly Speaker, Metbah Lyngdoh recognising the merger of the 12 former Congress MLAs with the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) was not legal.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of the function to commemorate the 159th death anniversary of legendary freedom fighter, U Kiang Nangbah held at Sein Raij, Pala said the Speaker’s ruling is not legal since the 12 MLAs had not formed the state unit before merging with the AITC.
“The 12 MLAs had the requisite two-thirds majority to facilitate the merger as per the provisions laid down in the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution. But the question is that why they did not form the state unit before their merger with the AITC,” he said.
Pala said the party leadership along with the MLAs will soon meet to discuss the ruling and finalise their next course of action. The party has not been able to discuss this matter since the Assembly Speaker gave his ruling before the Christmas and New Year holidays.
Asked if the Congress has finalised the names for the post of Leadership of Opposition and Opposition Chief Whip, Pala said it is clear that these posts will no longer remain with the Congress after the Assembly Speaker recognised the merger.
“Losing these two posts will not affect the party since it only benefits the individual MLAs who hold these positions,” he said.
The MPCC president said that former chief minister Mukul Sangma will continue to hold the post of the Leader of Opposition.