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The Odisha Assembly is gearing up to elect a new speaker on September 21, just a day before the commencement of its delayed monsoon session. The position of speaker has remained vacant since Bikram Keshari Arukha’s resignation on May 12, after he was appointed as the finance minister in Naveen Patnaik’s cabinet.
Official sources have revealed that nominations for the upcoming speaker election are scheduled to be filed on September 18. Given the substantial strength of the ruling BJD (Biju Janata Dal) party in the Assembly, it is widely anticipated that the BJD’s candidate for the position will be elected unopposed.
Several names from within the BJD ranks have emerged as potential contenders for the coveted speaker role. Senior BJD leaders including Prafulla Samal, MLA from Bhandaripokhari; Nrusingha Sahu, MLA from Parjang; Debi Prasad Mishra, MLA from Baramba; and Amar Prasad Satpathy, MLA from Barchana, are among those being considered for the post.
In addition to these candidates, there is speculation that the BJD may nominate a senior woman legislator for the speaker’s position. If this were to occur, it would mark a historic moment for the Assembly, as it has never had a woman speaker in its history.
As the election date draws closer, the Odisha political landscape is abuzz with anticipation, and the outcome will undoubtedly shape the proceedings of the forthcoming monsoon session. The election of a new speaker holds significance not only for the BJD but also for the functioning and dynamics of the Odisha Assembly as a whole.
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