Meghalaya assembly speaker Donkupar Roy passed away in a private hospital in New Delhi on Sunday afternoon. He was 65.

Roy was admitted to the Medanta Hospital in Gurugram on July 18 due to some stomach related complication and was undergoing treatment since then.

Sources said Roy breathed his last around 2:50 pm in the hospital.

Roy, president of United Democratic Party (UDP), the key ally in the NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government, was elected as the assembly speaker in March, 2018.

He was first elected in 1988 as an independent MLA from Shella assembly constituency in East Khasi Hills district. Roy was the chief minister of Meghalaya from 2008 to 2009.

He won from Shella constituency for the seventh consecutive term and was not defeated since 1988 till 2018 Assembly elections.

Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K Sangma has condoled the sudden demise of Roy.

“Deeply saddened by the demise of Speaker of Meghalaya Legislative Assembly Dr Donkupar Roy. In his death, we have lost a leader, a guide, who had dedicated his life for the service of the people. May almighty provide strength to his family in this hour of grief. Rest in peace!,” Sangma twitted.