Imphal, April 06: Along with unanimously electing Radhabinod Koijam of the NCP as the leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly, a joint meeting of the Opposition parties held yesterday has resolved to approach the SPF, particularly the leader of the House to offer the office of the Deputy Speaker to the Opposition group.

The joint meeting held in the committee room of the Assembly at 3 pm with O Joy in the chair discussed the need and advantages of having a leader of the Opposition group consisting of MPP, NCP, NPP and Independent MLAs to facilitate co-ordination in discharging their responsibilities and performing their duties as legislators especially inside the House.

The meeting also strongly felt that proper communication and co-ordination between members of the groups in the Opposition would boost their democratic and parliamentary functioning and would serve the interest of the public better.

Accordingly, MPP MLA Dr Ng Bijoy Singh moved a motion proposing the name of Radhabinod Koijam, leader of the NCP legislature wing to be the leader of the Opposition group and the motion was seconded by Morung Makunga, Independent MLA.

Apart from naming Radhabinod as the leader of the Opposition group, the meeting further unanimously elected MLA RK Anand and MLA Awangbow Newmai as the Legislative Secretaries.

MLA Morung Makunga was named as the Whip of the Opposition for better co-ordination between different groups and members.

Among other agenda, the meeting also discussed the issue and decided that the Opposition Group should put up a candidate to contest for the office of the Chairman of Hill Areas Committee.

After the discussion, Leader of the Opposition Radhabinod Koijam and leader of the MPP Legislature Party O Joy Singh were entrusted to find a consensus candidate from amongst the contenders in the Opposition Group.

The election to the post of HAC chairman is scheduled to be held at the Committee room on April 13 at 11 am.

The last date of the submission of the nomination papers is till 12 noon of April 12. Moreover, taking note of the Parliamentary convention that generally offered the office of the Deputy Speaker to the Opposition, especially when the election of the Speaker has not been contested by the Opposition, the meeting also resolved to approach the SPF, particularly the leader of the House to offer the office of the Deputy Speaker to the Opposition Group.

In case the SPF or the leader of the House is not willing to concede to the demand, the meeting decided to put up a candidate in the election for the office of the Deputy Speaker from the side of the Opposition Group.

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