Meghalaya speaker confident of winning 'trust vote'

Ahead of the Meghalaya assembly taking up a 'no confidence' motion against him on Wednesday, Speaker Abu Taher Mondal on Tuesday exuded confidence that the members would continue to support him.

"I am fully confident that the assembly members will continue to extend their support to me during the no-confidence motion against me. But let us see tomorrow (Wednesday)," Mondal told IANS.

The combined opposition -- of the Meghalaya People's Front and the Hills State People's Democratic Party -- moved a no-confidence motion against Mondal, alleging that he had not allotted sufficient time for the members to take up relevant issues.

MPF chief whip James Sangma said they moved the motion to express their displeasure against the speaker for conducting the proceedings in a "biased manner".

The speaker rubbished the charge levelled by the opposition saying he has conducted the proceedings as per rules.

Mondal denied that the resignation of Nationalist Congress Party legislator Sanbor Shullai from the post of deputy speaker ahead of the floor test has any political connection with the motion moved against him.

"He (Shullai) resigned on his own and it does not have any connection with the no-confidence motion against me," the speaker said.

The Congress has issued a whip to all party legislators, asking them to be present in the assembly when the motion is taken up.

Chief Minister Mukul Sangma held an emergency meeting on Tuesday night to discuss ways to counter the opposition move.

In the 60-member assembly (the strength of which now stands at 59 following the death of Garo National Council member Clifford R. Marak), the Meghalaya United Alliance has 29 Congress members, two NCP legislators and 11 Independent legislators.

The opposition MPF comprises eight United Democratic Party legislators, two from Nationalist People's Party and two Independents.

The opposition Hill State People's Democratic Party, which has four members, is not part of the Meghalaya People's Front.