SHILLONG: Former Assembly Speaker Monindro Rava, who passed away on Thursday, was laid to rest at Tikrikilla, West Garo Hills on Friday.
71-year-old Rava, a five-time MLA from Tikrikilla constituency, breathed his last at Down Town Hospital, Guwahati, on Thursday at around 10.30 am. He was a diabetic.
Assembly Speaker AT Mondal was among the few who paid their last tributes to the former legislator.
Rava was elected for the first time on a Congress (R) ticket in 1972-1978. He was again elected on Congress ticket on three occasions in 1983, 1993 and 1998.
The last time he was elected to the Assembly was on an NCP ticket in 2003. Rava had unsuccessfully contested the 2013 Assembly election from Tikrikilla on a UDP ticket.
Rava was a Transport Minister during the tenure of former Chief Minister (Late) EK Mawlong and had held the Forests and Environment portfolio under former Chief Minister (Late) FA Khonglam. He was the Deputy Speaker from April 1993 to July 1997 and Assembly Speaker from July 1997 till March 1998.
UDP working president Bindo Mathew Lanong termed Rava as a dynamic leader from the Garo Hills.
“He (Rava) was an outspoken legislator. His demise is a huge loss for the State,” Lanong said.
While recalling an incident in 1987, Lanong said that despite being a Congress legislator, Rava had dared to question Capt. Williamson Sangma’s Government on the floor of the Assembly by stating, “Why this State Government is here and whom they are governing?”
