BHUBANESWAR: BJD MLA Bikram Keshari Arukha, who resigned from Naveen Patnaik's cabinet as a minister on June 4, was unanimously elected speaker of Odisha legislative assembly in Bhubaneswar on Monday. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik proposed Arukha's name, which was seconded by parliamentary affairs minister Niranjan Pujari during the one-day session of the vidhan sabha specially convened to elect the new speaker. Naveen thanked the MLAs for in electing Arukha as the speaker.
Arukha unanimous choice as speaker
Twenty ministers in the Naveen's council, including Arukha, as well as assembly speaker S N Patro had stepped down day before Naveen rejigged his council on June 5.
"I am thankful to chief minister Naveen Patnaik for reposing faith in me and all the MLAs across party lines for unanimously selecting me. I will strive hard to uphold the dignity of the post and the house. I hope all the members will cooperate in maintaining the dignity of the house," Arukha said.
Making a statement in the assembly, the chief minister thanked the MLAs for being unanimous in electing Arukha as the speaker and congratulated him on his election. "I request all the honourable members to extend their support and cooperation wholeheartedly to the honourable speaker in the discharge of his duties," Naveen said.
Opposition chief whip and BJP MLA Mohan Majhi congratulated the speaker and hoped that he would be impartial in discharging his duty. Congress legislature party leader Narasingha Mishra and CPM leader Laxman Munda also spoke in the house and congratulated Arukha on his election as speaker and hoped impartiality from him.
