(Combines stories)
Senior NPP MLA Timothy D Shira was sworn in as the protem speaker of the Meghalaya assembly on Saturday, officials said.
Shira, the MLA of Resubelpara, was sworn in by Governor Phagu Chauhan at the Raj Bhavan in presence of outgoing chief minister Conrad K Sangma and senior leaders of the NPP.
Sangma had on Friday staked claim to form the next government in the state with the support of 31 MLAs. Among them are 26 NPP MLAs, two MLAs each of the BJP and HSPDP, and two Independents.
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Meanwhile, senior NPP leader Prestone Tynsong claimed on Saturday that HSPDP MLA Methodius Dkhar’s office in Shillong was set on fire allegedly by members of his own party as he supported the NPP-BJP coalition.
Following post-poll violence in some constituencies in Meghalaya, the administration had on Friday imposed indefinite night curfew at certain places with immediate effect.
Dkhar along with party MLA Shakliar Warjri on Friday pledged support to the NPP-BJP alliance, which staked claim to form the next government in the state under the leadership of Conrad K Sangma.
Tynsong, the outgoing deputy chief minister, told PTI that angry supporters of Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) went to Dkhar’s office in the Laitumkhrah area of the city on Friday night and set it on fire.
“Firefighters reached there on time and doused the flames,” he said.
The HSPDP decided to form an alliance with the TMC and Congress, but its two MLAs went ahead and supported the NPP-BJP coalition.
Tynsong said that those indulging in such incidents must respect the people’s mandate.
He blamed the Hynniewtrep Integrated Territorial Organisation (HITO) and the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) for it.
“These people are trying to snatch the constitutional rights of the MLAs. We will not allow such activities to happen. This is against the rights of the people,” he said.
Angry HSPDP supporters burnt effigies of the two MLAs in the Motphran area here on Saturday.
The gathering was attended by leaders of the HITO and the HYC who are demanding a chief minister from the Khasi community.
