Bikram Keshari Arukha, a former Parliamentary Affairs Minister and six-time MLA from Bhanjanagar, has been elected Speaker of the Odisha Assembly. Arukha was elected without opposition as no other members had filed nomination papers. He is the Odisha Assembly’s 21st Speaker.
After a special session of the Assembly was called, the election for speaker was held. Following the election, the House was adjourned. The speakership became vacant after Surjyo Narayan Patro retired on June 4 owing to health reasons. Patro, who is suffering from kidney problems and a major bacterial infection in his left eye, resigned as Speaker of the Assembly on June 4 due to his deteriorating health and denied any further government tasks.
Before Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik reformed the council of ministers on June 5, Arukha was the Forest and Environment Minister of Odisha. After BJD supremo and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik asked all of his ministers to quit on June 4 and a new council of 21 ministers was sworn in on June 5, he was forced to resign.
He also handed in his resignation as vice-president of the Biju Janata Dal to party president Naveen Patnaik before of the speaker’s elections.
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