Mylliem legislator and CPL leader Ronnie V Lyngdoh recognized as leader of opposition in Meghalaya Legislative Assembly

Ronnie V Lyngdoh, the Mylliem legislator and CPL leader, has been officially recognized as the Leader of Opposition (LO) of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly by the State Assembly Speaker's office. The notification, issued on June 8, confirmed this recognition, effective from the same day.

The notification reads, "Ronnie V. Lyngdoh, a Member of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, has been recognized by the Hon'ble Speaker as the Leader of Opposition in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly with effect from forenoon of 8th June, 2023."

This decision comes as the Congress, with only five members, has been asserting that there are no specific rules mandating that an opposition party must have one-sixth of the total seats in the House. The party argues that historical precedents exist where the Leader of Opposition was appointed even when the party did not meet the numerical requirement.

Ronnie V Lyngdoh himself had previously emphasized that the Speaker's office has the authority to appoint the Leader of Opposition, pointing out previous instances where the late Dr. Donkupar Roy was appointed as LO when UDP (United Democratic Party) did not have the required numbers.