SHILLONG, March 20: The confusion over the post of Leader of Opposition continues with Assembly Speaker Thomas A. Sangma maintaining silence on the matter and the Congress and TMC trying to outdo each other to pocket the prestigious post.
Congress Legislature Party leader, Ronnie V. Lyngdoh on Monday said the party has projected him as the LO candidate and added that now it is up to the Speaker to decide who should be the LO in the Meghalaya Assembly.
“Whatever the Speaker decides, we will honour his decision,” he said.
The Congress has already written to the Speaker urging him to appoint Lyngdoh as the LO.
On the other hand, TMC senior legislator Mukul Sangma has stated that there are precedents in the past where political parties in the opposition did not meet the minimum criteria and requirement but were allowed to hold the post of LO.
Talking to reporters here, Sangma recalled similar situations in 2003, 2008 and 2013 where political parties were allowed to select the LO despite not fulfilling the numerical criteria i.e., one-tenth of the strength of the House.
“We are leaving it to the wisdom of the Assembly Speaker to decide since records of past precedents are already available,” Sangma said, making it clear that it was necessary to ensure that there is no vacuum.
