SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) will meet on August 27 to take a call on the post of the Speaker of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, which is lying vacant following the demise of Donkupar Roy last month.
Revealing this here on Saturday, Health and Family Welfare Minister and BJP MLA AL Hek said that the partners of the MDA will take a call on who should be the new Speaker of the Assembly after a detailed discussion.
As far as BJP is concerned, he said that the party has not discussed the matter as of now and would meet after the MDA meeting to take a stand.
Reacting to a query about the post of Speaker which is being claimed by UDP, he said that all the partners should be taken into confidence on the matter and none of the parties and MLAs supporting the alliance should be neglected.
It may be mentioned that the PDF has already criticised the UDP for insisting that the post of Speaker should go to them while saying that the matter should be discussed in the MDA meeting.
The Meghalaya Democratic Alliance seems to be at the crossroads as far as filling up the post of Assembly Speaker is concerned.
The death of former Assembly Speaker Donkupar Roy, who was considered as the architect of MDA coalition, has created a vacuum for both UDP and the MDA in terms of guidance and direction.
The UDP is unable to decide on the party’s candidate for the post of the Speaker though it does not want to give up the post to any other political party in the ruling coalition and both the UDP and the United Progressive Front (UPF) comprising PDF, NCP and an independent are planning to project their own candidate for the top post.
Reacting to a query, Hek said, “ Look at media reports and opinions of the partners, I too feel that we are at the crossroads but we have not yet crossed the road,” Hek said.
As far as Shella bypoll is concerned, he said that the BJP has not taken any decision on the matter but he personally believes that being a national party it must contest the election.
The UDP earlier had requested all the partners of the MDA government to not to field their candidate in the Shella bypoll.
