BJP likely to keep speaker, deputy speaker posts in Madhya Pradesh assembly

BHOPAL: The three-day session of

Madhya Pradesh

assembly beginning from September 21 is likely to witness a show of strength among the Congress and the ruling BJP as the House will elect the

speaker

and deputy speaker after the resignation of 22 MLAs. Sources in the BJP disclosed that the party being in majority in the house, is all set to field candidates for both the posts.


It was in January last year when the MP assembly elected Narmada Prasad Prajapati as the speaker and also witnessed voting for the election of deputy speaker of the House as both the parties had fielded candidates. Congress had fielded Hina Kavre, a second term MLA from Lanji (Balaghat) while the BJP fielded senior MLA from Malhargarh (Mandsaur), leader Jagdish Devra, who is now finance minister of MP.

Being in majority, Congress won the deputy speaker election, breaking the old tradition to offer the chair to the opposition party. During the election of speaker, the BJP had walked out in protest from the House over the pro-tem speaker's refusal to let it propose the name of its nominee for which the party had planned to field Vijay Shah. Now, the same tradition will be followed and being in majority BJP will keep both the posts with itself.

"I am not aware what the party leadership would decide on both the posts but, here the Congress is responsible for breaking the tradition. In Chhattisgarh, after the Congress government led by the then chief minister Ajit Jogi had changed the tradition, the successive BJP government led by the then chief minister Raman Singh won both the posts of Speaker and Deputy Speaker in the House. In MP the final decision lies with the party leadership," observed former MP speaker,

Sitasaran Sharma

.

The Congress has however decided not to open its cards. "During our government in the state, the BJP had fielded a candidate for the post of speaker, breaking the tradition hence, we decided not to offer the post of deputy speaker to the saffron party. Now in the present situation we will decide on the issue at the right time," said former public relations minister, PC Sharma.

At present, in the 230-member house, the total strength of legislators is 203 as 27 seats are vacant following the resignation and demise of some members. BJP has the majority strength with 107 members with Congress reduced to 89 from 114 in 2018 assembly elections. There are four independents, two Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and one Samajwadi Party (SP) MLAs in the house.

Names doing rounds for the post of speaker include former speaker Sitasaran Sharma, who is an undisputed choice in the party. Former minister Nagendra Singh Nagod and senior MLAs,

Kedra Shukla

and

Girish Gautam

from Vindhya region could also be elevated to the coveted post. The BJP may also field pro tem speaker Rameshwar Sharma for the post of deputy speaker, said sources.

As per assembly secretariat, the house will witness three sittings of which proceedings of the house will be adjourned after paying tributes to former governor, late Lalji Tandon. On the second and third day, the government is likely to clear the budget proposals supplementary bills (ordinance) approved by the cabinet and other businesses. The session will adjourn on September 23.

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