5-day session of newly-elected MP Assembly begins

The first session of the newly elected Madhya Pradesh Assembly commenced here Monday with the administration of oath to the MLAs.

The opposition BJP accused the Congress of going against the traditions of the House in appointing the pro tem Speaker.

Congress MLA Deepak Saxena was appointed pro tem Speaker to administer oath to the MLAs.

"In 2003, when the BJP had formed the government, the senior most MLA, Jamuna Devi (of Congress), was appointed pro tem Speaker. I don't have objection on any name but there are several senior members like Gopal ji (BJP MLA Gopal Bhargav), KP Singh ji (Congress MLA) and Bisahulal Singh ji (Congress MLA)," former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said.

"Appointment of a four-time MLA as pro tem Speaker (Congress MLA Deepak Saxena) is an aberration from the tradition (that senior most MLA should be appointed pro tem Speaker). I object to the violation of this tradition," Chouhan added.

Reacting to Chouhan's objection, minister Dr Govind Singh said that there was no need to follow tradition every time.

"Appointment of pro tem speaker (Saxena) is in accordance with the Constitution. The Governor appointed him as per Constitutional provisions," he said.

Following this, the pro tem Speaker administered the oath to MLAs, with former CM Chouhan being the first to take oath.

Ministers in the Kamal Nath government were next, with Nath himself not taking oath as he is not a member of the House. The MP CM is a Lok Sabha MP from Chhindwara.

Oath administration to MLAs will go on till January 8, on which day the Speaker would be elected and the Governor would address the House, an Assembly Secretariat official informed.

The five-day session would continue till January 11.

In the 230-member house, Congress with 114 MLAs, two short of majority, formed the government with the support of four Independent, one SP and two BSP MLAs.

The BJP has 109 MLAs.