Gandhinagar, 3 October 2013

Senior MLA of BJP and former minister Shri Mangubhai Patel was elected as Deputy Speaker of Gujarat assembly today by majority vote. Shri Mangubhai will now seat on opposition bench just next to the leader of opposition.

Though BJP enjoys 2/3rd majority in the house, Congess party had nominated MLA Shailesh Parmar for the post. Congress had asked BJP to allow Congress MLA to get the post of Deputy Chairman, however BJP had clearly pointed out that in 10 Congress-ruled states the posts of Speaker and Deputy Speaker are with Congress. Not only this but during twenty years period of 1960-80, then Congress governments had given Deputy Speaker’s post to opposition only for four years.

Modi congratulates the newly appointed Deputy Speaker

Gujarat chief minister Mr. Narendra Modi on Thursday congratulated the newly appointed Deputy Speaker of the assembly Mr. Mangubhai Patel. Member of the legislative assembly (MLA) representing the Gandevi constituency of South Gujarat, Mr. Patel has been appointed as the deputy speaker for the 13th State Assembly here on October 3.

During the assembly session, the House unanimously nominated Mr. Patel for the post of deputy speaker and following which he was formally appointed as the new deputy speaker. Leader of the House, Mr. Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Mr. Nitin Patel and Tribal Welfare Minister Mr. Ganpat Vasava while welcoming Mr. Patel accompanied him to the honourable chair, and complimented for accepting the post.

Tribal MLAs thank CM

Following the appointment of Mr. Mangubhai Patel as the new deputy speaker at Assembly, a group of Tribal MLAs today visited Gujarat Chief Minister Mr. Narendra Modi’s at his State Assembly office.

The group of MLAs including the newly appointed Deputy Speaker Mr. Patel paid a courtesy visit to the chief minister Mr. Modi and thanked him for appointing Mr. Patel in the assembly.