Speaker’s post not prerogative of UDP alone: Tynsong

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 13, 2019

SHILLONG: National People’s Party (NPP) leader and deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong said that the Speaker’s post is not the prerogative of the United Democratic Party (UDP) alone to decide but of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA). 

“We (as MDA) will sit to discuss and take a consensus decision as to who will be the next the Speaker of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly,” Tynsong told reporters here on Tuesday. He informed that the meeting of the MDA is likely to take place within this week to discuss on various issues including the post of the Speaker and bye election to the Shella seat. 

The Assembly Speaker’s post fell vacant following the demise of former UDP chief late Dr Donkupar Roy on July 28. 

The UDP is the main ally of the National People’s Party (NPP)-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government. 

The UDP had claimed that the MDA was formed based on an understanding that the Speaker’s post should go to the UDP and the chief minister’s post to the NPP. 

Asked, Tynsong admitted that the Speaker’s post is not the prerogative of the UDP alone to decide and said, “We have to also take all parnters of the MDA on board and take a consensus decision on the matter.” 

He however said that the UDP has every right to claim but it is only that there is a need to sit together as an MDA. 

The NPP leader also recalled that it was late Dr Donkupar who had offered himself to be the Speaker when the MDA was formed in March last year. 

“…that time when we discussed about the formation of the MDA, Dr Donkupar our great leader himself said that he was willing to take over the post of the Speaker being the senior most leader and we were all happy…so the claim by the UDP is also more or less justified,” he said. 

On the allegation that there is division within the MDA over the Shella bye-election, Tynsong while denying that he is not aware said, “Well, be it NPP or any other political parties, they have their own ideology and constitution so how can you say we have any dispute on that.” 

He however said that the MDA is yet to have any consensus on the issue related to the Shella, a constituency which was represented by late Dr Donkupar for over 3 decades. 

In as far as the NPP is concerned, the deputy chief minister said that his party is also yet to exercise its mind on whether to field any candidate for the seat.