BJP MLA unanimously elected as Raj Assembly Deputy Speaker

Jaipur, Sept 18: Three-time BJP MLA Rao Rajendra Singh was on Friday unanimously elected as the Deputy Speaker of Rajasthan Legislative Assembly.

After the House reassembled at 12.30 pm post adjournment, Chief Minister Vasundara Raje, Independent MLA Manik Chand Surana, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajendra Rathore and Chief Whip of the government Kalu Lal Gujar proposed Singh's name for the election.

The proposal was seconded by Leader of Opposition Rameshwar Dudi, Independent MLA Randhir Singh Bhinder, Congress Deputy Whip Govind Singh Dotasara and Higher Education Minister Kalicharan Saraf respectively.

After the proposals, Speaker Kailash Meghwal announced the name of Singh as the Deputy Speaker of the House, elected unanimously.

Raje, Leader of Opposition and other members of the House greeted Singh. "You are an experienced and intelligent member and have expertise on different subjects. You very well know parliamentary traditions and rules," Raje said while congratulating Singh.

The chief minister said that she expected him to maintain the balance between the two wheels of parliamentary norm - ruling and the opposition in the House.

Leader of Opposition Rameshwar Dudi lauded the unanimous election and said that his party expected protection from the Deputy Speaker.

"Unanimous election has been the tradition of this house. We in opposition speak the voice of people and we expect you (singh) to give us (Opposition) protection," Dudi said.

The newly-elected Deputy Speaker, who represents Shahpura constituency in Jaipur district, said, he would fulfil his responsibilities as per the expectations.

Singh is also the member of Committee on Public Accounts (2014-15) and Committee on Ethics (2014-15) of the House.

PTI