Shillong: Meghalaya Legislative Assembly Speaker, Thomas Sangma, has given the green light to the merger of three Congress MLAs with the National People’s Party (NPP), stating that the move is legally valid.
Addressing the media on Friday, Sangma confirmed that his decision was made after thorough legal examination, concluding that the merger was in accordance with the law.
Sangma also addressed the issue of the suspension of two Congress MLAs by their party, stating that he had not received any official suspension orders. He emphasised that his decisions could not be based solely on media reports.
Regarding the appointment of a new Leader of the Opposition, Sangma mentioned that his office might issue a de-notification order unless the current Leader of the Opposition resigns, as he is now the only Congress member in the House.
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The Speaker noted that no political party has yet submitted a proposal for a new Leader of the Opposition, giving him time to deliberate on the matter.
Sangma further explained that for any party to claim the position of Leader of the Opposition, it must have at least 10 percent of the total house strength, a threshold that none of the current Opposition parties meet. “I will make a decision when the situation calls for it,” he added.
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