Santosh Yadav elected Dy Speaker

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 4

BJP MLA Santosh Yadav was elected as Deputy Speaker of the Haryana Assembly even as the Congress expressed its reservation on the issue, maintaining the post should have gone to a legislator from the Opposition or from among the Independent MLAs in the House in keeping with “healthy democratic traditions”.

Immediately after the conclusion of the Question Hour on the third day of the session, Chief Minister Manohar lal Khattar proposed Yadav’s name.

This was seconded by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ram Bilas Sharma. The main Opposition, the Indian National Lok Dal, supported Yadav’s nomination with Leader of the Opposition Abhay Singh Chautala appreciating the decision.

The Congress opposed the move saying the treasury benches should have given the post to a member of the Opposition.

Congress Legislature Party leader Kiran Choudhry opposed Yadav’s nomination on the ground that an MLA from the Opposition should have been chosen for the position.

“This is a regressive step and it does not augur well for the democracy, Choudhry said. She added Yadav’s name had also cropped up in the recent wall-collapse incident of a stone crusher in Mahendragarh that left 11 dead. However, this was lost in the din.

Welcoming the move to elect a woman MLA to the post, Karan Dalal, too, said the post of Deputy Speaker should not have been taken by the treasury benches.

Addressing the members, Yadav said she would try live up to their expectations and sought their cooperation.