‘Speaker’s expulsion to cost Left’

By MANOJ ANAND

Guwahati

July 26: Former Lok Sabha Speaker P.A. Sangma said here on Saturday that Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee has upheld the dignity of the post by not succumbing to the pressure of the Left parties.

Mr Sangma told reporters: "I would like to congratulate the Speaker Somnath Chatterjee for his bold stand." He also reiterated that the Speaker is not bound to resign from his post constitutionally, legally or on moral grounds after being expelled from the party.

Regretting the expulsion of Mr Chatterjee, Mr Sangma said: "The decision of the CPI (M) has dented its credibility among the people. The Left parties will have to face a setback more because of their decision to expel Mr Chatterjee than their stand on nuclear deal."

Mr Sangma, who predicted a hung Parliament in the forthcoming general elections, said the Nationalist Congress Party will increase its tally significantly in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

"We have already started looking for alliance partners in North-eastern states," he said, asserting that its arrangement with BJP for running the coalition government in Meghalaya will continue. The ruling Meghalaya People’s Alliance government in which NCP is participating is supported by a BJP legislator.

He said that the party has decided to finalise candidates and alliance with parties in 30 days. About the polarisation of parties at the national level, Mr Sangma said: "I really don’t know how long this new Congress alliance with Samajwadi Party will sustain but certainly the era of coalition politics is going to stay."

On the possibility of the third front, he said: "There have been many attempts for third front but they failed. Now, Left parties will try to revive the front but I don’t believe it will be in a position to have a say in national politics."

Mr Sangma also announced that they have appointed an 11-member team comprising former bureaucrats to advise his home state Meghalaya on development.

The team includes former Union power secretary R.V. Sahi.