The mild-mannered BJP leader and eight time MP from Indore, Sumitra Mahajan was on Friday unanimously elected Speaker of the 16th lok Sabha, the second woman to occupy the high office after Meira Kumar, her predecessor.
She was elected after adoption of a motion moved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and seconded by BJP veteran lK Advani through a voice vote called by Pro-tem Speaker Kamal Nath.
Mahajan was led to the Speaker’s Chair by the Prime Minister, Advani, Anant Geete, M Thambidurai as also a number of Opposition leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge, Mulayam Singh Yadav and Sudip Bandyopadhyay, besides Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu.
They also congratulated her one-by-one. A demurely smiling Mahajan said the new assignment was a challenging one and that she would try to do justice with all without letting down any member.
later, at a Press conference, she said her efforts would be to give “equal chance” to smaller parties and let their voice heard in the house. She asked media to project substantial and right issues so that populist subjects do not draw undue limelight.
Praising the new Speaker, the Prime Minister said her name “Sumitra” suggests that she would be friendly to all the members of the house who would follow the path she would be guiding them to as a Speaker.
“Mahajano yena gatasya pantha” (you should follow great people),” Modi quoted a Sanskrit couplet. “We now have a ‘Mahajan’ (great person) presiding over the House and what could be more appropriate,” he maintained.
Modi thanked all parties and members for unanimously electing Mahajan and keeping up the great tradition of electing the presiding officer without a contest.
“It is a matter of pride for all of us that a woman is at the helm of the temple of world’s largest democracy and we hope that her guidance would help us in the smooth conduct of the House,” he said.
Describing her election as a “proud moment for our democracy,” he wished her the very best in her role as Speaker and assured her “complete support and co-operation in the smooth running of the House.”
Modi said she has risen from the ranks after starting as an ordinary member of the Indore Municipal Corporation and has become an MP for eight terms due to her public service.
Mahajan,71, a lawyer-turned-politician, is known for her clean image as also for the record eight-time consecutive wins from Indore lok Sabha seat. A protégé of late BJP president Kushabhav Thakre, she has risen to the august seat of Speaker after battling hard in her training ground of Madhya Pradesh politics.
While showering praise on Mahajan, the Prime Minister said the 16th lok Sabha is similar to that of the country’s first lok Sabha as the present House has around 315 first-time members.
With new blood and aspirations, coupled with great traditions of the past, the House could become a temple of energy to help address the hopes of the people, he said.
Modi later tweeted saying he has known Mahajan for years and has seen her dedication and monumental service towards people -- be it as an MP or a Union minister.
Kharge, leader of Congress party in the lok Sabha, suggested that Mahajan should take everyone along, amidst his party’s expectations that the Speaker would grant him the leader of the Opposition status, a Cabinet-rank position.
“Hayat le ke chalo, kaynat le ke chalo, zamane ko sath le ke chalo,” (let us embrace all, the whole universe, let us keep the whole world as our company),” he said.
Interestingly, leaders cutting across party lines, including BJP’s allies in the NDA, requested the Speaker to ensure they should not be treated in accordance with their numbers and given due importance.
As Mahajan ascended the Speaker’s seat closely followed by Modi, Protem Speaker Kamal Nath was seen exchanging a few words with the Prime Minister.
Nath was heard saying, “Madhya Pradesh ke saath nyay hua hai (justice has been done to Madhya Pradesh),” as both he and Mahajan are from that State. Thanking all the members for electing the new Speaker, Naidu said the Government was ready for discussion on any issue in the House.