By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Despite the newly formed National People’s Party (NPP) fielding candidates to contest the coming Assembly polls, its legislators have claimed that they are still with the NCP.
In their letters submitted to Assembly Speaker Charles Pyngrope, the 11 defected NCP legislators said that technically they are still NCP members since they have not submitted any official papers related to the merger.
This, however, contradicts the ground reality as all the legislators will be contesting on NPP tickets.
It was on August 24 last year that the NCP legislators except Deputy Speaker Sanbor Shullai announced their merger with NPP headed by PA Sangma in Shillong.
However, this was challenged by Shullai and subsequently the Speaker issued notices to the legislators seeking their reply.
The Assembly Secretariat recently received the replies of 11 defected NCP legislators which said that they are technically still NCP legislators.
The Speaker also admitted that since he is yet to get any official letter of merger, they are still NCP members in the House.
Since the validity of the current Assembly will be till March 10 next, the reply given by the legislators will be advantageous to them.
The Speaker is yet to take any final decision on the stand of the defected legislators.
