BJP's Bhartruhari Mahtab appointed Pro Tem Speaker, Congress calls it 'first mistake'

The post of Pro Tem Speaker, a temporary one, traditionally goes to the senior most member of parliament, who later administers oath to all the MPs and handles other responsibilities till a Speaker is appointed.

The 18th parliament will be convened on Monday.

The seven-time MP from Cuttack had moved to the BJP ahead of the election after years with Naveen Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal, expressing displeasure over the party's functioning.

Making the announcements, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju posted on X: "President is pleased to appoint Shri Bhartruhari Mahtab, Member, Lok Sabha as Speaker Protem under Article 95(1) of the Constitution to perform the duties of Speaker till election of the Speaker."

"President is also pleased to appoint Shri Suresh Kodikunnil, Shri Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu, Shri Radha Mohan Singh, Shri Faggan Singh Kulaste and Shri Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Members of Lok Sabha under Article 99 of the Constitution to assist Speaker Protem in Oath/Affirmation to newly elected Members of 18th Lok Sabha till election of the Speaker," he wrote.

The Congress, which was expecting its senior MP K Suresh to be appointed to the post, was irked with senior party leader Manickam Tagore calling it the  "First mistake of the Parliamentary Affairs minister".

The name of Mahtab and D Purandeshwari, the chief of the BJP's Andhra Pradesh unit, were doing the rounds for the Speaker's post, which was also being eyed by allies Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar.