Meghalaya Assembly Speaker Donkupar Roy passes away

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 28, 2019

SHILLONG: Meghalaya Assembly Speaker and former chief minister Donkupar Roy passed away at Medanta hospital, Gurugram on Sunday afternoon. He was 64. 

Roy, who was also the supremo of the United Democratic Party (UDP), breathed his last at 2.40 pm. He was suffering from acute diabetic complications. 

His body will be flown from Delhi on Monday morning and will be brought to his official residence and then will be taken to Shella on July 30, Assembly’s Commissioner & Secretary Andrew Simons said here. 

Expressing his condolences on Roy’s untimely demise, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his tweet said, “Anguished by the demise of Dr. Donkupar Roy, Speaker of the Meghalaya Assembly and former CM of the state. Passionate about Meghalaya’s progress, he served the state with great diligence and helped transform many lives. Condolences to his family and supporters.” 

Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma also took to twitter and said Roy had dedicated his life for the service of the people. 

“Deeply saddened by the untimely demise of Speaker of Meghalaya Assembly Dr Donkupar Roy. In his death, we have lost a leader, a guide, who had dedicated his life for the service of the people. May Almighty provide strength to his family in this hour of grief.  May his soul rest in peace,” Sangma said. 

Condoling Roy’s death, Governor Tathagata Roy in his tweets said, “Deeply saddened to know the unfortunate and untimely death of Donkupar Roy (64). He was the Speaker of Meghalaya legislative assembly, a former chief minister of Meghalaya and the president of the United Democratic Party. RIP, Om Shanti.” 

Born in November 10, 1954, a soft spoken economist joined politics in 1988 after being conferred Doctorate in Economics from the prestigious North Eastern Hill University (NEHU). 

Roy, a seven-time legislator of Shella constituency, was first elected in the 4^th Meghalaya Legislative Assembly as an independent candidate with ardent support of the then Alliance Reconstruction of Meghalaya state, a political body of the Khasi Students’ Union. 

He was sworn in as chief minister of Meghalaya in 2008. However,  the Donkupar Roy-led Meghalaya Progressive Alliance (MPA) government was dismissed on March 19, 2009 and the state was put under President’s Rule.   

In May 2009, the Congress party under the leadership of DD Lapang came back to power and the UDP left the MPA to support the Congress-led government.  He also held the post of Chairman of the State Planning Board from 2009-2012. 

In 2013, the veteran political leader held the post of Leader of Opposition ill the end of the term of the House.