BJD's BK Arukha files nomination for Odisha Assembly Speaker's post

Senior Biju Janata Dal (BJD) legislator Bikram Keshari Arukha on Friday filed his nomination paper for the post of Odisha Assembly Speaker.

Arukha, a six-time MLA, submitted the nomination papers to Assembly Secretary Dasharathi Satapathy.

The election to the post of Speaker will be held on June 13.

The Speaker post is vacant after SN Patro resigned from the post on health grounds on Sunday.

The ruling BJD has 114 MLAs in the 147 member Assembly while the opposition BJP has 22 members, Congress-9, CPI(M)-1 and Independent-1.

"I would like to thank Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for recommending my name for the coveted post of Speaker of the Odisha Assembly. I would put my best to upkeep the dignity of the House," he told reporters after filing his nomination paper.

He also sought the cooperation of all members of the House for smooth running of the House. Arukha was among the 20 ministers who resigned on June 4 from the ministry on Sunday to pave way for Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to go for a reshuffle.

He was a minister in the Naveen Patnaik ministry from 2009 to 2022.

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