Shillong, October 13: Meghalaya Assembly Speaker Thomas A. Sangma on Tuesday said the reported merger of eight United Democratic Party (UDP) MLAs with the BJP is still under examination and has not yet been formally recognised by his office. “I am still examining, so I will not say BJP MLAs. The merger to BJP is still under consideration and I am waiting for legal opinion,” Sangma told reporters.
The Speaker said the eight legislators had recently called on him and were informed that he required more time to examine the matter. “They came to me as a cordial visit. I explained to them that the matter is being examined and I need some more time,” he said.
Sangma also said he is awaiting rectified petitions from UDP president Metbah Lyngdoh and the party. “There was a petition from Metbah Lyngdoh and UDP. Their petitions were a little bit defective, so I have given them 10 days’ time to rectify that. Their time will be over by tomorrow. I am waiting for that and for legal opinions from different sources,” he said.
Defending the time being taken to decide the matter, Sangma said the Speaker’s office could not arrive at a decision hastily. “The Speaker’s office cannot just decide like that. I have to be careful, once bitten twice shy. I had given my ruling during the previous split of the Congress also. Even Parliament has not been able to make a decision till today. I am not delaying it on purpose, I am taking my time so that I can make a decision with a very clear mind,” he said.
On the defects in the UDP petition, the Speaker said legal opinion had pointed to certain omissions and lack of clarity in the submissions. “As per legal opinion there were some omissions, their submissions were not very clear,” he said.
Clarifying the scope of his role, Sangma said recognition of a party merger falls within the prerogative of the Election Commission of India, while his office is examining the issue of the split and the disqualification petition. “As Speaker I cannot recognize the merger as it is the prerogative of the Election Commission of India. I am examining the split of the party,” he said.
Sangma said earlier political developments, including the Congress-TMC episode and his previous ruling which is currently under scrutiny of the High Court, are also being examined while deciding the present matter. “First prerogative is to decide on the petition of the UDP as per series of events that had taken place. I am looking at the disqualification petition,” he said.
Asked how the eight legislators should be described pending his ruling, Sangma said the matter remains unresolved. “That is the question I am also asking myself. It remains to be seen what kind of decision I can make,” he said.
