Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan administered the oath of office to pro-tem Speaker Mumtaz Ahmed Khan at the Raj Bhavan on Wednesday evening, marking the commencement of the business of the second Telangana Legislative Assembly more than a month after the declaration of election results.
All the newly elected MLAs of the Assembly will be in turn sworn in by Mr. Khan when the maiden session of the Assembly begins on Thursday. The government proposed Mr. Khan as the pro-tem Speaker as the post is generally reserved for senior-most member in the Assembly. Though the ruling TRS had a couple of members who were equally senior, it decided to offer the post to its friendly party Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen as it had Mr. Khan, a six time MLA. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi and some MLAs of both parties were present. Mr. Owaisi thanked Mr. Rao for the gesture. After the function in Durbar Hall, Mr. Rao and the Governor met for nearly one-and-a-half hour.
New Speaker
The swearing-in of the new MLAs by Mr. Khan on Thursday will be followed by issue of notification for the election of Speaker. The election will be a formal affair as the hand picked MLA of Mr. Rao will file the sole nomination and declared elected at the end of the closing hours of the process. The new Speaker will assume seat on Friday when the business of the House will be confined to members airing their views on the incumbent.
The Governor will address both Houses of Legislature on Saturday and the motion of thanks concluded on Sunday which will be the last day of the session. From Monday, Mr. Rao will take up a five day yagam at his farmhouse at Erravelli.
Meanwhile, speculation was rife that the mantle of Speakership might fall on Mr. Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, Mr. A. Indrakaran Reddy, Mr. Eatala Rajender or Ms. Padma Devender Reddy. Barring Ms. Devender Reddy who was Deputy Speaker in the previous Assembly, all three are former ministers. Mr. Rao has played his cards close to chest.
It was rumoured that the selection of the Speaker will pave way for Cabinet expansion. The initial word in TRS circles is that the expansion might take place on Friday but Mr. Rao gave no hint with just a day left.
