SHILLONG:
Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Dr Mukul Sangma, on March 20, said that the issue of becoming the Leader of the Opposition (LO) is no longer a matter of concern for him as “fulfilling the responsibilities in the house as a political representative is of greater significance.”
Speaking to reporters after a brief adjournment of the house on the first day of the budget session, Sangma said that the decision to elect a new LO will be arrived at after the meeting of all political parties in the opposition bench.
To a query on submission made by both Congress and TMC to the speaker on selecting the LO, he said, “We have not discussed in detailed; we will do that and find out what is necessary for us to decide upon as different political parties sitting in the Opposition, and the exercise is pending.”
As for the inclusion of Khasi and Garo languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, Sangma said that the demand for recognition of both languages has been there since long, and his party stands firm until the issue is resolved.
The House, that witnessed a ruckus as four Voice of the People Party (VPP) legislators staged a walkout over Governor’s Hindi speech, saw different political leaders coming to the fore on the issue, with Dr Mukul Sangma stating that the matter is conditioned upon ideologies of different political parties.