Meghalaya Deputy CM counters Himanta’s statement; Says Mukroh is part of Meghalaya

Staff Reporter

Shillong, March 13: Countering the claim made by the Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said that Mukroh is well within Meghalaya territory.

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“Our stand is very clear that Mukroh is well within Meghalaya. Even till this moment it is under the possession of Meghalaya,” Tynsong told reporters.

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He was reacting to Sarma’s statement informing the Assam Assembly that Mukroh is within the boundary of Assam and is under the jurisdiction of the West Karbi Anglong district.

On November 22, last year six persons including five Khasi villagers and one Assam forest guard were killed in an unprovoked firing by the Assam police at Mukroh village in West Jaintia Hills District.

When asked, Tynsong said, “I don’t know why such a statement was made by the Assam CM because now we are in the process of stepping into the second phase of talk. I personally feel he should not say that. It is very unfortunate if he had made the statement inside the House,” while reiterating “But let me tell you one more thing very clearly that Mukroh area falls under Meghalaya.”

The deputy chief minister ruled out that the state government will shoot a protest letter to the Assam government and said, “Not necessarily because the talk will start again so just wait for that.”

He informed that the government is working out on priority to reconstitute the regional committees to take the second phase of border talks forward for resolving the remaining six areas of difference shared between the two states.

“We have already made it very clear to the people of the state that the second phase of talks will start very soon so will work accordingly,” Tynsong said.

On March 29, last year a memorandum of understanding was signed between Assam and Meghalaya in presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah ending the dispute in six of the twelve areas of difference.

Thomas Sangma elected unopposed as Speaker of Meghalaya Legislative Assembly

Staff Reporter

Shillong, March 9: NPP legislator from North Tura Thomas Sangma has been elected unopposed as the Speaker of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly today.

Thomas filed his nomination on Tuesday. His candidature was proposed by Ampareen Lyngdoh and Marthon Sangma from the NPP and Paul Lyngdoh and Mayralborn Syiem from the UDP.

“Since there is no other nomination, Thomas will be formally elected on the 9th this Month in a special session in the House,” Assembly’s Commissioner & Secretary Andrew Simons had told reporters.

This was after the opposition parties decided not to field candidates for the election to the Speaker’s post.

The MDA-2 government has the support of 45 MLAs of which 26 are from NPP, 11 UDP, 2 BJP, 2 HSPDP, 2 PDF and 2 Independents.

The opposition bench on the other hand has a strength of 14 members which include 5 Congress, 5 All India Trinamool Congress and 4 Voice of the People Party.

Speaking over the phone on Wednesday, VPP president Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit said that his party has decided not to field a candidate for the Speaker’s post because “we don’t have the number”.