Rajbhar files papers for Speaker's post

Lucknow, May 17: Bahujan Samaj Party's Sukhdev Rajbhar today filed nominations for the post of Speaker of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly.

Rajbhar's name was proposed for the post by various political parties including the Samajwadi Party (SP), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and some Independents.

Former chief minister and now leader of the Opposition Mulayam Singh Yadav was also present in the Assembly secretariat at the time of filing of nomination. Mr Rajbhar was the only candidate to have filed papers for the post.

He had yesterday resigned from the post of the cabinet minister after his name was accepted by at an all-party meeting for the speaker's post. He had taken oath as a minister on Sunday. He would be elected as the new Speaker tomorrow afternoon, replacing Mata Prasad Pandey (SP).

Four-time MLA Rajbhar had been a minister on two occasions. He had also represented the BSP in the Legislative Council. During the last BSP-BJP government, he was the state Parliamentary Affairs Minister.

Meanwhile, Pramod Tiwari (Cong), who was sworn in as a panel member by Governor T V Rajeswar yesterday, administered oath to the pro tem speaker Shyamdeo Rai Chaudhury (BJP). Mr Tiwari also administered oath to the Leader of the Opposition Mulayam Singh Yadav as a member of the 15th Assembly. The 49 ministers were also administered oaths as MLAs in the Assembly followed by women members.

Two days, today and tomorrow, have been earmarked to administer oath to the newly-elected members of the 15th Assembly. A total of 402 new MLAs would be administered oath.

The Assembly session would begin on May 21 with the address of the Governor.

UNI