UDP’s Nongsiej contender for cabinet berth
SHILLONG: The election of new Assembly Speaker will be held on September 13.
An official with the Assembly Secretariat said on Saturday that a formal announcement will be made on the election of the Speaker on Monday during the Assembly session.
The Assembly Secretariat will issue notification regarding the election of the Speaker on September 10 and the candidates can file nomination papers till 4.30 pm.
The papers will be scrutinised on the same day and the withdrawal of the nominations is on September 11.
While Tourism Minister and three-time legislator Metbah Lyngdoh is the unanimous candidate of the MDA for the post of Assembly Speaker, the Congress has fielded Winnerson Sangma.
With 40 members supporting the MDA coalition, Metbah may not face any tough contest from the Opposition which has only 19 members.
Metbah was declared the candidate for the post of Speaker after a consensus was arrived at during the meeting of the MDA core committee.
Later, the meeting of the MDA coalition partners endorsed the name.
Metbah will resign from the ministry on Monday.
An official source said Metbah will have to resign first before filing nomination papers on Tuesday.
After Metbah resigns, there will be a vacant cabinet post and the UDP wants any of its legislators to be inducted in the ministry.
The name of two-time MLA from Mawthadraishan, Brolding Nongsiej is doing the rounds among the UDP circle as the nominee for induction in the cabinet.
UDP feels that seniority wise, Nongsiej is eligible and he will represent West Khasi Hills region once Metbah resigns from the ministry.
Currently, the UDP has five MLAs — Metbah, Lahkmen Rymbui, Kyrmen Shylla, Nongsiej, Nujorki Sungoh and Pius Marwein after the death of party president and UDP leader Donkupar Roy.
While Rymbui and Shylla are cabinet ministers, Sungoh and Marwein are first-timers.