Shillong, Sep 8:Timothy D Shira today resigned as Deputy Speaker of the Meghalaya Assembly with the order to do so coming from higher ups in the ruling National People’s Party (NPP), to which he belongs.
Speaking to reporters, Shira said that he stepped down after receiving a late night phone call from Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma yesterday, instructing him to vacate the position. The loyal party man said, “I did not ask questions. As a senior member of the party, I only followed the direction of the high command.”
Assembly Speaker Thomas A Sangma confirmed the resignation and informed that the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) met today to decide the way forward. The election to fill the vacancy will be held on September 12, the concluding day of the autumn session of the Assembly.
With the NPP holding an absolute majority before even considering the position of its allies it would be able to appoint a replacement at will.
The Speaker added that while Shira did not provide reasons, he had been told the decision came at the behest of the party leadership.
When asked if Shira’s resignation was part of a quid pro quo arrangement following the recent defection of former Congress MLA Ronnie V Lyngdoh to the NPP, the Speaker refused to comment, saying he had no knowledge of such a development.
