Senior BJP MLA and former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh was on Tuesday unanimously elected the Speaker of the state Assembly.
The first session of the newly-elected House began here on Tuesday.
Singh, 71, filed his nomination for the post on Sunday and said his new responsibility will be to take everyone together in the Assembly.
As the session commenced, pro-tem speaker Ramvichar Netam administered the oath to new legislators as members of the Assembly.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, Leader of opposition Charan Das Mahant, Deputy Chief Ministers Arun Sao and Vijay Sharma, former Chief Ministers Raman Singh and Bhupesh Baghel were among those administered oath by the pro-tem speaker.
After the swearing-in of legislators, the Chief Minister moved a proposal for the election of Singh as the Speaker which was seconded by Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao.
Leader of Opposition Mahant also moved a proposal for the election of Singh as the Speaker which was seconded by Baghel.
Three more proposals were moved by BJP members in favour of Singh, a seven-term MLA who has won Rajnandgaon seat four consecutive times - in 2008, 2013, 2018 and 2023.
Singh was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1999 and was the Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industries in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.
