Thomas A Sangma elected unopposed as Meghalaya speaker

Thomas A Sangma of the ruling National People's Party-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) coalition was on Thursday elected as the speaker of the 11th Meghalaya assembly.

The MDA 2.0 government, which was sworn in earlier in the week, has the support of 45 MLAs -- of which 26 are from the NPP, 11 of the United Democratic Party (UDP) and two members each of the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP) and the People's Democratic Front (PDF), besides two Independent legislators.

Sangma, a former Rajya Sabha member, was elected unopposed as three opposition parties the Congress, the Trinamool Congress and the Voice of the People's Party -- did not field any candidate.

Pro tem Speaker Timothy D Shira, who chaired the proceedings on the concluding day of the special assembly session, said, "Since only one nomination paper was received by the office of the Assembly, I hereby declare Thomas A Sangma as speaker."

Congratulating the newly elected speaker, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said that he was confident that the former parliamentarian will do justice to the chair.

"It is a matter of great happiness to see you occupy the speaker's chair," he told Thomas A Sangma.