Shillong, Aug 24: Meghalaya Assembly Speaker, Thomas A. Sangma, has denied knowledge of the Congress decision to suspend two of its MLAs for a period of six years, maintaining that their merger with the NPP was within the legal boundary and valid.
“I am not aware of that six-year suspension. I don’t know what you are talking about,” Sangma replied when reporters sought his views on the Congress’ decision to challenge his order to recognize the recent merger of three Congress MLAs with the NPP on the grounds that two of them are suspended MLAs.
Gabriel Wahlang (Nongstoin constituency) and Charles Marngar (Mawhati constituency) were suspended for six years before they along with Dr Celestine Lyngdoh (Umsning constituency) formally merged with the NPP on August 19.
The Speaker also added, “I have not personally received the suspension order (issued by the Congress party) till today. You cannot expect me to make a decision based on what was on the media.”
Asked, Sangma said he has recognized the merger after carefully examining the legal aspect of it.
“I have taken my decision based on all the legal aspects. I have examined and I found it in order so I made my decision allowing them to merge with NPP,” he said while adding “The two-thirds was clearly seen in the numbers. The Constitution says when two-thirds of any political party decides to merge, that kind of merger can happen.”
