Balancing caste and regional equations, the Bharatiya Janata Party decided to nominate a Dalit candidate for the important post of Speaker in Gujarat Assembly. On Saturday former Cabinet Minister for Education in Anandiben’s Government — Ramanlal Vora filed his nomination for the post of Speaker.
The MlA from Idar Assembly constituency, Vora is all set to become the 16th Speaker of Gujarat legislative Assembly as his name has been proposed by Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and seconded by leader of Opposition — Shankersinh Vaghela. It means he would be elected as Speaker unanimously on Monday, the first day of Gujarat Assembly’s Monsoon Session.
The four-time legislator and son of freedom fighter Ishwarlal Vora, the BJP nominee thanked Congress party for its support and promised to perform to keep dignity of the post. The Dalit leader is former employee of Bank of Baroda.
Though both the major parties in the House have agreed on the Speaker’s post, there would be contest for the post of Deputy Speaker as BJP- nominated Gandhinagar (South) MlA Shambhuji Thakor and Congress has fielded a woman MlA from limkheda constituency in Central Gujarat, Chandrika Bariya. It is worth mentioning that following the change of guard in the ruling party and formation of new Government, Ganapat Vasava and Atmaram Parmar resigned as Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively. Both of them are now part of Vijay Rupani Cabinet.
looking to the absolute majority in the 182 member Gujarat Assembly, BJP candidate Thakor will emerge victorious in case the Congress candidate would not withdraw his candidature. The leader of Opposition Vaghela has demanded that the post of Deputy Speaker should be given to the Opposition party by keeping the healthy Parliamentary tradition. However, Deputy CM Nitin Patel clearly indicated that the ruling party would keep both the posts. The BJP candidate Thakore belongs to OBC community, while Congress candidate is from tribal community. On ruling party’s decision not to give Deputy Speaker’s post to Opposition party, Vaghela said that the saffron party not only did injustice to the Congress Party but it also ignored a woman candidate as well as a member from tribal community.
The two-day Monsoon Session, beginning on Monday is likely to see suspension of the first day post-election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker as a special motion would be passed to mourn the dealth of late Pramukh Swami. On the second day, it is believed that that Rupani Government might introduce the GST Bill in the House.