It is almost certain that voting would take place in the State Assembly for electing the new Deputy Speaker of the House as both the ruling Congress and the Opposition BJP have fielded candidates.
A second-term MLA from Lanji in Balaghat, Hina Kaware has filed the nomination for the Congress while the BJP has fielded its former Minister Jagdeesh Dewra, an MLA from Malhargarh in Mandsaur district.
The voting for the second top post in the Assembly is likely to take place on Thursday. Both candidates expressed confidence of winning the election.
The proceedings of the House were adjourned after paying tributes to 14 departed souls including former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Tuesday. Interestingly, after all the commotion the House witnessed over the election of speaker, the opposition BJP also heaped praises on newly elected speaker NP Prapjapati calling him an immensely experienced politician and blessed with multifaceted personality.
“I am saddened by what transpired inside the House,” speaker NP Prajapati had observed on Tuesday. The BJP accusing the Congress of making a mockery of constitutional provisions in election of speaker had walked out of the House and division of votes took place in their absence.
While talking to media persons in the assembly premises, Minister Sajjan Singh Verma said, “It was BJP who started the war and we would go all out in the election of Deputy Speaker.”
He made it clear the post would not be offered to the opposition. Earlier the Congress had declined to offer Deputy Speaker’s post to opposition when the BJP had decided to contest for the post of speaker and not back the Congress nominee.
Former assembly speaker Dr Sitasaran Sharma however claimed according to tradition, the Deputy Speaker’s post goes to the opposition and he was hopeful that the Congress would do the same.