SHIRA ELECTED MEGHALAYA DEPUTY SPEAKER

Senior legislator of the ruling National People's Party Timothy Dalbot Shira has been elected the Deputy Speaker of the Meghalaya Assembly. Speaker Donkupar Roy declared Shira elected after he defeated Congress candidate David Nongrum by 16 votes in the 60-member House with an effective strength of 58. Shira, a former Deputy Chief Minister and the oldest member in the assembly, polled 36 votes and Nongrum 20.

Chief Minister Conrad Sangma could not vote as he is not an elected member of the Assembly. When Roy was Chief Minister at the head of the Meghalaya Progessive Alliance in 2008, Shira was Deputy Chief Minister and now with Roy as Speaker, Shira is once again his deputy a rare turn of events that was talked about by all members of the assembly.

The NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government has 19 MLAs in the House. It is supported by six from United Democratic Party, four from People's Democratic Front, two members each from Hill State People's Democratic Party and the BJP, one Nationalist Congress Party MLA and two Independents. The opposition Congress has 20 members.