Former Chief Minister Donkupar Roy of the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government and Congress legislator Winnerson D Sangma filed their nomination papers for the post of the Assembly Speaker.
The election for the post will be held on March 12 after which Chief Minister Conrad Sangma would move a vote of confidence in the House.
Roy, the longest serving legislator, is also the President of United Democratic Party, which is the key partner in the National People’s Party-led government.
Sangma is a two-time Congress legislator from Salmanpara constituency in West Garo Hills.
The candidature of Roy was proposed by legislators from the ruling side which include Home Minister James K. Sangma, Public Health Engineering Minister Samlin Malngiang, Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Banteidor Lyngdoh, Social Welfare minister Kymen Shylla and seconded by General Administration Department Minister Comingone Ymbon, Tourism Minister Metbah Lyngdoh, Health and Family Welfare Minister A.L. Hek and Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui.
The candidature of Sangma was proposed by Congress Legislature Party spokesperson Zenith Sangma and P.T. Sawkmie and seconded by former Assembly Speaker Charles Pyngrope.
“The nominations of both the candidates were found valid,” Meghalaya Assembly Commissioner and Secretary Andrew Simons said.
The six-party MDA coalition includes 19 members from NPP, six from UDP, four from the People’s Democratic Front, two each from the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) and the BJP, one from the Nationalist Congress Party besides two Independents.
The Congress won 21 seats but physically it has only 20 members in the House since the former Chief Minister got elected from two seats: Ampati and Songsak.
Lone Khun Hyniewtrep National Awakening Movement MLA Adelbert Nongrum and another Independent, S.K. Sun, are yet to declare their support to any of the two candidates.