Opposition Congress, BJP to boycott Odisha Assembly Speaker election on Sept 21

Both the Congress and the BJP decided to boycott the Speaker election on September 21 as the date coincides with the "Nua Khai" ,a major festival in Western Odisha.

Congress Legislature Party leader Narasingha Mishra had clearly stated that party MLAs would stay away from the election of the Speaker post of the Assembly, protesting against the government's decision to hold the election on the Nuakhai festival.

The BJP also followed the Congress and on Friday announced that it would also boycott the Speaker election on the same grounds that the election date falls on the Nua Khai festival.

BJP MLA Nauri Nayak told newsmen that the decision to boycott the Speaker election was taken by BJP Legislature party leader Jay Narayan Mishra and Party President Manmohan Samal as the state government refused to postpone the election date.

The monsoon session of the Odisha Assembly will commence on September 22, and the state government wants to hold the Speaker election on September 21.

The Speaker post has been vacant since May 12 last year, when the then Speaker Bikram Keshari Aarukh resigned from the post and was subsequently inducted into the council of ministers.

Presently, Deputy Speaker Rajani Kanta Singh is the acting Speaker of the Assembly.