Shillong, Sept 9: The opposition political parties have decided not to field a candidate for the upcoming Assembly Deputy Speaker election slated to be held on September 12.
Leader of Opposition Mukul Sangma told reporters on Tuesday that discussions between the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) and the Voice of People Party (VPP), led to this unanimous decision.
“I just had a discussion with our friends in the opposition including Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit, the president of the VPP. The discussion ultimately culminated into unanimity to say that we will not put up a candidate. Let there be an uncontested election of the deputy speaker,” Sangma said.
Sangma stated that the opposition parties will communicate their decision to the Speaker.
“It is also befitting, we are communicating this same to the Speaker that in the spirit of our robust system adopted in our parliamentary form of democracy, it has been always tried, it’s not always possible though but then there is a healthy practise earlier in the past also where deputy speaker’s election were uncontested.
When asked about the possibility of a no-confidence motion against the government, Sangma replied “No”.
“Issues can be flagged by taking advantage of the different rules provided under Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business and other provisions of the Constitution. When we feel that okay some measures of that scale has to be taken up then we will inform you but for this session no (we will not move an NC against the government),” he stated.
The election is necessitated following the resignation of senior most NPP legislator from Resubelpara Timothy D Shira as deputy speaker on Monday.
