Meghalaya: VPP MP to skip election ceremony for LS Speaker's post

Meghalaya’s Voice of the People Party (VPP) has declared that its Member of Parliament (MP), Ricky AJ Syngkon will remain absent from the election ceremony to decide the post of Speaker of Lok Sabha, on June 26.

According to media reports, the VPP which recently marked a historic victory in the Lok Sabha elections will not support the NDA or the INDIA bloc, stated VPP chief Ardent Basaiawmoit.

Meanwhile, Tura MP Saleng Sangma from the Congress will vote for the party candidate fielded by the Congress-led INDIA alliance against the NDA’s candidate.

It must be mentioned that the two newly elected MPs from the state, Ricky Syngkon and Saleng Sangma engaged in meetings with their respective party leaders for the position of Speaker. 

Om Birla, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) candidate for the post of Speaker of the Lok Sabha will face K Suresh, the Opposition-led INDIA bloc's contender in the final call, on June 25.  

The position which will see an election for the first time since 1976 will witness Prime Minister Narendra Modi moving the motion that Om Birla be chosen as the Speaker of Lok Sabha, joined by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s support.

After a failed consensus between the NDA and the INDIA bloc, the latter fielded K Suresh against Om Birla.