Unlike Madhya Pradesh, the election of Speaker and Pro-tem in Rajasthan Assembly completed peacefully. Former Union minister CP Joshi on Wednesday was elected unanimously the speaker of the 15th Rajasthan Legislative Assembly. CP Joshi, a Congress lawmaker from Nathdwara, was named for the post by the party’s top leadership.
Joshi was the MP from Bhilwara in the 15th Lok Sabha and had served as the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways and Panchayati Raj from 2009 to 2013.
Congress MLA Mahesh Joshi has been appointed as chief whip of the party, while Mahendra Choudhary the deputy chief whip.
The 68-year-old Congress veteran took over the chair relieving pro-tem speaker Gulab Chand Kataria after the House passed the motion moved for his election by a voice vote.
Earlier on Sunday, BJP picked Gulab Chand Kataria as the Leader of Opposition in the assembly. The 8-time Legislator and Former Home Minister Kataria’s name was proposed by Former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje which was unanimously supported by all party’s lawmakers in the all MLA meeting.
While former Parliamentary affairs minister and Lawmaker from Churu Rajendra Rathore have been appointed as its Deputy by the Saffron Party.
Gulab Chand Kataria had on Monday took oath as the Pro-tem speaker of the 200 member assembly of the state.
The BJP had on December 11 won 73 seats out of the 199 in Rajasthan elections which were held last month, losing out to the Congress which formed the government after winning 99 seats after getting support from others including BSP.
The First Session of the House begins on Tuesday, Jan 15. The Budget session of the state assembly is likely to be held in February.
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