Shillong, Dec 8: TMC leader Mukul Sangma and other 9 legislators have replied to Assembly Speaker in response to a notice issued folowing a petition filed by the Congress on their disqualification under the 10th schedule to the constitution.
Congress MLA Ampareen Lyngdoh had filed petition for disqualification of party MLAs who merged with TMC, under the tenth schedule to the Constitution and rule 6 of the Members of Meghalaya Legislative Assembly (Disqualification on ground of defection) Rules, 1988.
Lyngdoh filed the petition only against 10 legislators leaving Charles Pyngrope and Shitlang Pale as a tactical move.
Ampareen had said petition against Pyngrope and Pale will be filed later.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Mukul said Para 4 (1) of the tenth schedule provides for the merger of the original political party with any political party and Para 4 (2) clearly says that if not less than two-third of the effective strength of a legislature party in the House decides to merge with any other political party, then it would have fulfilled the requirement.
The TMC leader alleged that the petition filed by the Congress is nothing but an attempt to have a concocted story with misrepresentation and distortion of facts to create hurdles for the 12 legislatures who had switched over to TMC.
“Interestingly, the petitioner said that the merger did not have adequate number to qualify to say that we had more than two-third of the effective strength of the then Congress Legislature Party. This is wrong and false, distorted and misrepresented,” Mukul said.
He said out of the effective strength of 17, twelve members constituted more than two-third of the effective strength of the then Congress Legislature Party.
Mukul said the petitioner chose to say that the number was only 10, referring to the first petition which was filed leaving Charles and Pale who were part of the 12 that merged along with others.
“It was nothing but an attempt to just play to the gallery to create a wrong perception and delay people’s decision to join the TMC,” Mukul added.
