The two-day Gujarat Assembly Monsoon Session is beginning on August 22 in which a new Speaker and Deputy Speaker are expected to be appointed by the MlAs.
For the new State Government headed by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, it would be the first Assembly Session. Appointment of the Speaker and his Deputy would be the main agenda of the Session as Speaker Ganapat Vasava and his Deputy Atmaram Parmar have already resigned from their posts. Both Vasava and Parmar are now part of the Rupani Government. Senior BJP MlA and former Minister Parbatbhai Patel has been temporarily given responsibility of the post of Speaker.
Another key issue on the agenda would be to clear the Goods and Services Tax (GST), Bill which was recently passed by the Parliament and needs to be passed by at least 15 of the 29 States before April 1. The Narendra Modi Government at the Centre has said that it expects at least 16 States to clear the GST Bill in the coming 30 days.
With BJP national president Amit Shah's visit to Ahmedabad for Raksha Bandhan on August 18, he too is expected to attend the Monsoon Session for at least a day as an MlA. Shah, who is Naranpura MlA, is expected to give his vital opinion to finalise ruling party's candidates for the post of Speaker and Deputy Speaker. Meanwhile, the Opposition Congress has criticised the Rupani Government for calling only a brief session and has demanded its extension for at least five days. leader of Opposition in Gujarat Assembly, Shankersinh Vaghela said a two-day session would be too short in view of the ongoing pro-quota Patidar agitation as wells as issue of flogging of Dalit youths near Una.
Vaghela said in keeping with tradition of offering post of Deputy Speaker to the Opposition, if BJP does consider, Congress can field a Dalit candidate for the post. last time, BJP had charted path other than the tradition and had its own Speaker and Deputy Speaker in the State Assembly.