Padhy: Surama Padhy elected as 2nd woman speaker of Odisha Assembly | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: Surama Padhy (63), a two-time BJP MLA from Ranpur, was on Thursday elected unopposed as the speaker of the state assembly, making her the second woman to be elevated to the position after Pramila Mallik of the BJD.
She was the lone contestant in fray as the principal opposition, BJD, did not nominate anyone against her.
The BJP has a clear majority in the 147-member House with 78 MLAs and the support of three independent legislators, bringing their total to 81.The BJD has 51 MLAs and the Congress 14. Mallik, who was the speaker in the last assembly, has been assigned the role of opposition chief whip by the BJD.
Pro-tem speaker Ranendra Pratap Swain announced Padhy’s election as speaker and handed over the charge to her in a special session of the assembly.“I will discharge my responsibilities impartially and uphold the dignity of the chair,” Padhy said after assuming charge.
Chief minister Mohan Majhi, deputy CMs K V Singh Deo and Pravati Parida, leader of opposition Naveen Patnaik and members cutting across partylines greeted the new speaker.
Wishing her on X, Naveen wrote, “I extend my best wishes to the new speaker. I am confident that you will uphold the dignity and sacred traditions of the House through your knowledge and experience as a legislator and former minister.”
Padhy, one of the five BJP women MLAs in the House, had served as a minister of state (independent charge) of the cooperation department in the BJP-BJD coalition govt from 2004 to 2009.
She was the lone contestant in fray as the principal opposition, BJD, did not nominate anyone against her.
The BJP has a clear majority in the 147-member House with 78 MLAs and the support of three independent legislators, bringing their total to 81.The BJD has 51 MLAs and the Congress 14. Mallik, who was the speaker in the last assembly, has been assigned the role of opposition chief whip by the BJD.
Pro-tem speaker Ranendra Pratap Swain announced Padhy’s election as speaker and handed over the charge to her in a special session of the assembly.“I will discharge my responsibilities impartially and uphold the dignity of the chair,” Padhy said after assuming charge.
Chief minister Mohan Majhi, deputy CMs K V Singh Deo and Pravati Parida, leader of opposition Naveen Patnaik and members cutting across partylines greeted the new speaker.
Wishing her on X, Naveen wrote, “I extend my best wishes to the new speaker. I am confident that you will uphold the dignity and sacred traditions of the House through your knowledge and experience as a legislator and former minister.”
Padhy, one of the five BJP women MLAs in the House, had served as a minister of state (independent charge) of the cooperation department in the BJP-BJD coalition govt from 2004 to 2009.
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BJPs Surama Padhy set to be Odisha speaker
Surama Padhy, a two-time BJP MLA from Ranpur, is set to become the speaker of Odisha Legislative Assembly, with unanimous election support from BJD. She served as a minister in the past and won the recent election defeating a BJD candidate.
Surama Padhy, a two-time BJP MLA from Ranpur, is set to become the speaker of Odisha Legislative Assembly, with unanimous election support from BJD. She served as a minister in the past and won the recent election defeating a BJD candidate.
