Shillong, Sept 8: Assembly Speaker Thomas Sangma on Monday refused to accept the suspension of VPP MLA Adelbert Nongrum on technical grounds.
“He (Adelbert) will remain as VPP MLA though he was suspended from the party”, the Speaker told reporters after the first day of the autumn session of the Assembly.
The party did not address Adelbert Nongrum as MLA when the suspension letter was sent to him.
Earlier in the Assembly, the North Shillong MLA expressed discontent regarding his suspension.
Nongrum questioned why he was being sidelined by being him the back seat despite being a VPP MLA.
The MLA was suspended on March 24 this year for the alleged anti-party activities.
When asked by the Speaker under which rule he had raised it, Nongrum clarified that he had not raised a point of order but instead sought clarification on his suspension.
According to Nongrum, his suspension was illegal and stated, “They (VPP) did not refer to me as MLA of North Shillong in their letter of suspension, but instead, they referred to me as Adelbert Nongrum, Shillong.”
In reply, the Speaker assured to look into the matter.
“The matter will be discussed later in my chamber,” the Speaker said while adding that it was not appropriate to discuss it in the House.
Later, Nongrum met the Speaker, who allotted a separate seat for him.
