Shillong: Thomas A Sangma of the ruling National People’s Party-led MDA coalition was on Thursday elected the Speaker of the 11th Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.
The Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) 2.0 government, which was sworn in earlier in the week, has the support of 45 legislators – 26 of whom are from the National People’s Party (NPP), 11 from the United Democratic Party (UDP) and two from the BJP, Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) and People’s Democratic Front (PDF) each have a member besides two independent MLAs.
Sangma, a former Rajya Sabha member, was elected unopposed as three opposition parties – Congress, TMC and Voice of the Peoples Party – did not field any candidate.
Pro tem speaker Timothy D. Shira, who presided over the proceedings on the concluding day of the special assembly session, said, “Since only one nomination paper was received by the office of the assembly, I declare Thomas A. Sangma as the speaker.”
Congratulating the newly elected Speaker, Chief Minister Konrad K Sangma said he was confident that the former MP would do justice to the Speaker.
He told Thomas A. Sangma, “It is a great pleasure to see you sitting in the speaker’s chair.”
