Shillong, Aug 29 (IANS): Trinamool Congress, which has five MLAs in the 60-member Meghalaya house urged Assembly Speaker Thomas A Sangma on Wednesday to give the Leader of Opposition (LoP) post to the party as it is claiming the support of the lone Congress legislator.

Speaker Sangma said former Chief minister and Trinamool leader Mukul Sangma (2010-2018) formally submitted to him for the LoP post.

“Mukul Sangma, demanding the LoP post, claimed that the Trinamool has the support of lone Congress MLA Ronnie V Lyngdoh. I am now examining the proposal as per the rules of procedure of the house and will take a decision at the earliest,” the Speaker said.

In February last year’s Assembly polls, Trinamool and the Congress had secured five seats each.

However, of the five Congress MLAs, three recently joined the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) headed by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma while another legislator Saleng A Sangmaone got elected to the recent Lok Sabha election from the Tura Parliamentary constituency reducing the number of party member in the Assembly to just one.

The Speaker quoting the rules said that to get the LoP post the members’ strength has to be 10 per cent of the 60-member assembly.

Trinamool with the support of the Congress MLA has fulfilled the minimum 10 per cent criteria for the LoP post, but other things have to be considered to allot the LoP post to the Trinamool.

Trinamool also requested the Speaker that the post of opposition chief whip be given to the lone Congress MLA.

On August 19, three Congress MLAs, Celestine Lyngdoh, Charles Marngar, and Gabriel Wahlang, joined the NPP in the presence of the Meghalaya Chief Minister.

Meghalaya Congress President Vincent Pala accused the NPP of being 'involved in a cash transaction' for taking away three Congress MLAs to the ruling party’s fold.