BHUBANESWAR: Former minister and senior BJD legislator Pradip Kumar Amat was on Tuesday unanimously elected as the Speaker of Odisha Assembly.
Amat, who resigned as the Finance and Health Minister on May 6, a day before the Ministry reshuffle effected by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, began his second term as the Speaker on the day. Amat was earlier Speaker of the Assembly from May 25, 2009 to May 20, 2014.
The ruling BJD had submitted a notice for the election of Speaker to the Assembly Secretary on Monday.
Amat succeeded Niranjan Pujari, who had tendered his resignation as the Speaker on May 5. Pujari was inducted as the Housing, Urban Development and Industries Minister on May 7.
Deputy Speaker Sananda Marandi chaired a brief session of the Assembly where the CM moved the motion and proposed Amat's name for the Speaker's post which was seconded by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Bikram Keshari Arukha.
Leader of Opposition Narasingh Mishra of Congress and BJP Legislature Party leader KV Singhdeo along with the CM welcomed Amat as soon as Marandi announced his name as the 20th Speaker of Odisha Assembly.
Mishra, however, said it would have created a better tradition had the Government consulted the Opposition before announcing Amat's name for the post. The Congress leader also hoped that the new Speaker would work in an impartial manner and protect the Opposition's interest in the House. Singhdeo also alleged that BJP was not consulted over selection of Amat as the Speaker.
A four-time MLA, Amat was elected to the Assembly for the first time in 2000 from Boudh constituency as an Independent. He was, however, elected for the next three terms consecutively from Boudh on a BJD ticket.