Mondal set to break convention twice

SHILLONG, MAR 8: Abu Taher Mondal, former Meghalaya power minister and a Congress nominee to the post of the Meghalaya Assembly speaker, will soon be having the unique distinction of being not only the first non-tribal minister in Meghalaya but also the first speaker of the Meghalaya legislative assembly.

Mondal filed his nomination papers for the election for the post of the speaker which will be held on Monday. The nomination papers of the other contender HSPDP Ardent Basaiawmoit, who sprang a surprise on Friday by turning up in the assembly secretariat to file his nomination papers and contest the speaker’s election, was however rejected as the assembly secretary found it to be invalid.

After the scrutiny of the papers of the two contenders for the Speaker’s post, assembly secretariat H Mylliemngap found that Basaiawmoit’s nomination paper was invalid as he did not have a “seconder” for his nominations.

Independent legislator Salseng Sangma was the one who proposed Basaiawmoit name, but as per rule the candidate must also have another person to second his name. HSPDP legislator Witting Mawsor, a first-timer, was schedule to second the name of his party colleague arrived half an hour after the filing of the papers was closed. His reportedly arrived late arrival was reportedly due because of traffic congestion.

Later talking to reporters Basaiawmoit said he had planned to contest the speaker’s election because he wanted only legislator belonging to the indigenous community – Khasi, Jaintia or Garo tribe – to occupy the Speaker’s office.

In 1998 Mondal who got elected to the Meghalaya legislative assembly for the first time became the first non-tribal legislator of the state to be made a minister by the later chief minister BB Lyngdoh, who was then heading a regional party coalition government. On Monday, he will also become the first non-indigenous speaker of the Meghalaya assembly.

An engineer turn politician, Mondal told reporters that as a speaker of the august house he will be playing the role of an impartial umpire and has to complete the pending tasks in the Assembly. – By Our Reporter