Meghalaya Assembly Speaker and former Meghalaya Chief Minister Donkupar Roy passed away on Sunday afternoon. He was 64-year-old.
Roy, who was admitted to Medanta Hospital in Haryana’s Gurugram on July 18 over stomach-related complication, passed away around 2.50 PM. His body will be flown back to Meghalaya by tomorrow for the last rites, ANI reported.
Born on November 10, 1954, he was first elected to the Assembly in 1988 as an independent MLA from the Shella seat in East Khasi Hills. He also served as Meghalaya Chief Minister for a year in 2008-09.
After the 2008 Meghalaya elections had thrown up a fractured mandate, the UDP and some smaller regional parties had come together and formed the Meghalaya Progressive Alliance government.
However, exactly a year later, the state saw the government being dismissed and President’s rule imposed.
Prim Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to express his condolences. "Anguished by the demise of Dr. Donkupar Roy, Speaker of the Meghalaya Assembly and former CM of the state. Passionate about Meghalaya’s progress, he served the state with great diligence and helped transform many lives. Condolences to his family and supporters," he wrote.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma too expressed his condolences. Sangma tweeted, “Deeply saddened by the untimely demise of Speaker of Meghalaya Assembly Dr Donkupar Roy. We have lost a leader, a mentor, who had dedicated his life for the service of the people. May Almighty provide strength to his family in this hour of grief. May his soul RIP.”
With inputs from ENS