Even as Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen MLA Mumtaz Ahmed Khan was sworn in as the pro-tem Speaker of the newly-constituted Telangana state assembly on Wednesday, suspense continues over the selection of the new Speaker and deputy speaker which will happen on Thursday.
Khan, a senior MLA from Yakutpura assembly constituency, was administered oath as pro-tem Speaker by Governor E S L Narasimhan at Raj Bhavan at a simple ceremony.
Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, MIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi and several TRS and MIM legislators, besides officials and MIM party workers attended the function.
Khan would, in turn, administer oath of office to the newly-elected MLAs in the assembly which would commence its operations at 11.05 am on Thursday.
After all the MLAs take their oath, the pro-tem Speaker would initiate the process for nominations to the regular Speaker post.
So far, the TRS chief has not yet decided on whom he should declare as the Speaker. Several MLAs who were sounded to ascend the Speaker’s chair reportedly expressed their reluctance to accept the post because of the jinx attached to it. Whoever becomes the Speaker would lose his immediate next elections.
However, KCR has already zeroed in on some names like Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, Padma Devender Reddy and Eatala Rajender.
“Once KCR takes a decision, nobody can reject the post,” a party leader said.
The election of the Speaker will take place on Friday. The newly-elected speaker will conduct the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting after the house is adjourned.
On January 19, the Governor will address a joint session of the state assembly and council. The next day, the House will introduce motion of thanks to the Governor’s address and adopt the same.
