Odisha: Rajanikant Singh elected as Deputy Speaker

Four-time Biju Janata Dal MLA Rajanikant Singh was on Thursday unanimously elected as the Deputy Speaker of Odisha Assembly.

Leader of the House and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik proposed the name of the Angul MLA for the post of the deputy speaker, which was seconded by Parliamentary Affairs Minister B K Aarukh.

Speaker S N Patro formally declared Singh elected unopposed, as the opposition BJP and the Congress had not fielded their candidates.

I will work impartially and follow the rules of procedure of the state Assembly, Parliament and Constitution, Singh said, after being named as the deputy speaker. He was congratulated by the Leader of Opposition Pradipta Naik, Congress legislature party leader Narasingha Mishra and CPI(M) member Laxman Munda.