Congress picks Hindu face Rana KP as new Punjab assembly speaker

Rana took the oath in Punjabi in the presence of the Punjab CM. As pro-tem speaker, he will administer the oath to all other elected members of the legislative assembly when it convenes for its maiden session on March 24.

Lawyer-turned-politician Rana Kanwarpal Singh will be the new speaker of the Punjab assembly. Signifying the role of Hindus in Congress’ victory in recently-concluded state elections, he is the second leader from the community after Brahm Mohindra — the next-in-command to chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh in the cabinet — to be given a plum post.

Rana Kanwar Pal Singh, Congress MLA from Anandpur Sahib assembly constituency was sworn in as as pro-tem speaker of the Punjab assembly on Monday.

The 59-year-old MLA from Anandpur Sahib is a three-time legislator. Punjab governor VP Singh Badnore administered the oath of office to Rana in the presence of the CM. Chief secretary Karan Avtar Singh conducted the proceedings of the oath-taking ceremony.

As pro-tem speaker, he will administer the oath to all other elected members of the legislative assembly when it convenes for its maiden session on March 24. The MLAs would be administered oath in the Vidhan Sabha on March 27. The members will then elect him as speaker.

A law graduate from Dehradun University, Rana was a lawyer at Rupnagar district courts before joining politics. He became Punjab Youth Congress president and then won his first state elections from the Nangal seat.