Bhubaneswar: Senior leader of BJD and former Finance minister Pradeep Amat today assumed charge as the Speaker of Odisha Assembly after a formal announcement by deputy speaker Sanand Marandi following a voice vote in the House.
"I will ensure a congenial environment for smooth functioning of the Assembly by maintaining a cordial relationship with all the members of the House", Amat told newsmen soon after taking charge.
The election to the post of Speaker was necessitated following resignation of Niranjan Pujari during the recent ministry reshuffle. A motion of notice was moved by BJD yesterday before Assembly secretary to elect Amat for the top post. Following the notice, a special meeting of the House was convened today and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik moved a resolution in this regard which was seconded by Parliamentary Affairs minister Bikram Arukh.
A four-time legislator Amat had won from Boudh Assembly constituency in 2000 independently. Since then he had been elected to the House for three consecutive terms on BJD tickets.
The veteran politician had held the Steel and Mines portfolio during the last part of Naveen's second term between 2008 and 2009. However, he had successfully served as Speaker of the Assembly for full term during the third term of BJD government.
He had again come back to the Cabinet with the most important portfolio-Finance department-after BJD regained power in 2014. Two years after, he was assigned additional charge of Health and Family welfare department after Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak resigned from the post