Ahmedabad: Nominations filed by the Senior r BJP MLA from Bhuj constituency Nimaben Acharya for the post of Speaker of the Gujarat Assembly. Acharya is probably going to be chosen unopposed as the resistance Congress has upheld her assignment and is set to turn into the Gujarat Legislative Assembly’s first lady Speaker.
The Speaker’s post fell vacant last week after Rajendra Trivedi resigned from the post, hours before he was inducted as the Parliamentary Affairs Minister in the new Bhupendra Patel-led Gujarat government. After Tiwari’s resignation, Acharya was appointed the protem Speaker. However, she resigned on Monday, and BJP MLA from Bharuch, Dushyant Patel was appointed to perform the duties of the office of the Speaker till it is vacant.
With the office of Speaker falling vacant, the Gujarat Legislative Assembly secretariat had invited nominations for the posts of Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
Acharya filed her nomination for the post of Speaker on Friday in the presence of BJP chief whip Pankaj Desai and Trivedi. Senior BJP MLA from Shehra constituency, Jetha Bharwad, filed his nomination for the post of Deputy Speaker.
As the Congress has said it supports the nomination of Acharya as Speaker, she is likely to be elected unopposed on September 27, when the House meets for the two-day monsoon session.
However, Congress has fielded Bhiloda MLA Anil Joshiyara for the post of Deputy Speaker. Leader of Opposition Paresh Dhanani said, “Congress is a party committed to the healthy tradition of the Assembly. Traditionally, the post of Speaker goes to the ruling party and that of Deputy Speaker to the Opposition. So, following that tradition and preserving our values, we have supported the nomination of Nimaben for the post of Speaker. However, it has been our demand that the post of Deputy Speaker must come to the Opposition. And so, we have fielded six-time MLA, a doctor and tribal representative Anil Joshiyara for the post of Deputy Speaker.”
In the 182-member Gujarat Assembly, BJP has 112 seats against Congress’s 65. The House is likely to witness an election for the post of Deputy Speaker on September 27.
