Shillong, Sept 4: The Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government and the opposition Congress on Wednesday announced their candidate for the election to the post of Speaker.

While the MDA announced the name of United Democratic Party (UDP) leader and tourism minister Metbah Lyngdoh as its consensus candidate, the Congress announced the name of two-time MLA, Winnerson D Sangma as its candidate.

Lyngdoh was chosen as the candidate by MLAs during the meeting of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) while the name of Winnerson was chosen by Congress MLAs during the meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP).

The post of Speaker has been lying vacant following the death of Speaker, Dr Donkupar Roy on July 28.

Lyngdoh was unanimously chosen during the MDA meeting chaired by chief minister, Conrad K Sangma and attended by all MLAs.

Metbah, who is presently the minister in-charge of tourism and water resources, was also part of the 4-member core committee, headed by the deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong.

The core committee was tasked with the responsibility to propose the name of the consensus candidate for the Speaker’s post.

Tynsong told reporters that a report of the committee was placed before the MDA, which accordingly approved Metbah Lyngdoh as the consensus candidate of the alliance for the Speaker’s post.

The chief minister congratulated Lyngdoh and all members of the core committee for working hard to arrive at a consensus.

He also thanked all the alliance partners for supporting the decision and having faith in the MDA.

Metbah said that he felt honoured to have been elected as the consensus candidate for the post of Speaker.

The election of Speaker will be held in the upcoming autumn session of the Assembly, which will commence from September 6. According to the chief minister, the date for the Speaker’s election will be decided by the Business Advisory Committee.

Meanwhile Leader of Opposition, Mukul Sangma said that the CLP discussed various issues to be taken up in the Assembly in the upcoming autumn session besides the need to elect a new Speaker of the Assembly.

He said that after discussion, the CLP decided that Winnerson D Sangma should be the candidate for the election to the Speaker’s post.

Terming politics a game of chess, Mukul said that the opposition has decided to field its candidate with the hope to win.

The Opposition has 19 MLAs, where the ruling MDA has 40 MLAs.