BHUBANESWAR: Senior BJD leader and former minister Bikram Keshari Arukha is all set to be the 21st Speaker of Odisha Assembly. He filed nomination papers as a BJD candidate on Friday.
Arukha will succeed senior BJD leader Surjya Narayan Patro to the seat. BJD has a massive majority of 113 in a House of 147. BJP and Congress did not file nomination papers as the two parties have only 22 and nine members respectively.
Arukha thanked Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for selecting him. “I will try my best to maintain the tradition and dignity of the House,” he told mediapersons after filing nomination. A meeting of the Assembly will be held on June 13 at 10.30 am to elect Arukha as the Speaker. All MLAs have been asked to attend the meeting.
The CM had recently revamped the Council of Ministers by asking all 20 ministers to resign from their posts on Saturday. Patro had also resigned from the post of Speaker along with them citing health issues.