MEGHALAYA: Thomas A Sangma of the ruling National People Party-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance was on Thursday elected as the Speaker of the 11th Meghalaya Assembly.
The MDA 2.0 government, which was sworn in earlier this week, is supported by 45 MLAs, including two Independents and two members from each of the BJP, Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP), and People's Democratic Front (PDF), in addition to 26 from the National People's Party (NPP), 11 from the United Democratic Party (UDP), and two from the National People's Party (BJP).
The Congress, the TMC, and the Voice of the People's Party, three opposition parties, did not submit any candidates, hence Mr. Sangma, a previous Rajya Sabha member, was elected without opposition.
"Because only one nomination document was received by the office of the Assembly, I hereby announce Thomas A Sangma as Speaker," pro-tem Speaker Timothy D. Shira declared as he presided over the proceedings on the final day of the extraordinary Assembly session.
Conrad K. Sangma, the Chief Minister, congratulated the newly elected Speaker and expressed confidence in his ability to fulfil the duties of the office. He said to Thomas A. Sangma, "It is a matter of tremendous satisfaction to have you take the Speaker's chair.
In Meghalaya, the NPP-led alliance, with the support of 45 has formed the government in the state. Among the allies, the 8 cabinet berths will go to the NPP, 2 to the United Democratic Party (UDP) and 1 each to BJP and Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP).
United Democratic Party secured 11 seats in the results of assembly elections announced on March 9. Congress won 5 seats. Trinamool Congress, which had inducted all Congress MLAs in the previous assembly, also got five seats. BJP, People Democratic Front (PDF) and Hill State People's Democratic Party secured two seats each. Voice of the People Party got 4 seats and 2 seats were won by independent candidates.
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