BJP Veteran Prem Kumar Poised to Become Bihar Assembly Speaker Unopposed (Image: X)
Veteran BJP leader Prem Kumar is set to become the new Speaker of the Bihar Legislative Assembly. He filed his nomination papers on Monday and, as the sole candidate, is expected to be elected unopposed in a vote scheduled for Tuesday.
Prem Kumar is an eight-term MLA representing the Gaya Town seat. He is among the few active Bihar politicians whose career began during the JP Movement of the 1970s, giving him long-standing influence in the state’s politics. His vast experience is seen as a major reason for his selection to the constitutional post.
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The ruling NDA holds a huge majority in the 243-member assembly with 202 seats. The main opposition, the Mahagathbandhan, has decided not to put up a candidate. With no rival in the race, his election is only a formality, further strengthening the BJP’s grip on the state’s governance.
Yes, the nomination followed internal negotiations within the NDA. Reports indicate the JD(U), led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, lobbied for one of its 85 MLAs to be appointed Speaker. The party argued that since the Chief Minister had ceded the crucial Home portfolio to a BJP Deputy Chief Minister, the speaker's post should go to the JD(U). However, the BJP, with 89 MLAs, asserted its position and secured the nomination for its veteran leader.
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The election marks a shift in a long-standing arrangement. The JD(U), which has been in power since 2005, held the speaker's post during the first three tenures of the NDA government in the state. Prem Kumar's ascension signifies the BJP's strengthened position within the alliance, allowing it to claim one of the assembly's most prestigious offices.
