Niranjan Pujari is new Odisha assembly speaker

Niranjan Pujari was elected uncontested as the speaker of the 15th Odisha assembly here on Monday.

Niranjan Pujari was elected uncontested as the speaker of the 15th Odisha assembly in Bhubaneswar on Monday.

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Chief minister Naveen Patnaik proposed the name of Pujari, industries minister in the outgoing cabinet, when BJD members met at the state assembly in the morning. Parliamentary affairs minister Bikram Keshari Arukh seconded it.

Pro-tem speaker V Sugnana Kumari Deo placed it before the House and Pujari was elected after all 117 BJD legislators endorsed the proposal.

The Opposition did not field any candidate against Pujari, who represents Sonepur assembly constituency.