Photo Courtesy: nenews
Guwahati: Senior BJP leader Ranjeet Kumar Dass was unanimously elected Speaker of the 16th Assam Legislative Assembly on May 21. His return to the post marks the second time he has held the position, making him the first person in the history of the House to serve as Speaker twice. Pro tem Speaker Chandra Mohan Patowary confirmed the appointment after announcing that no other candidates had filed nominations for the role.
The four-day session began with Patowary administering the oath of office to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and four cabinet ministers. Following these inductions, the remaining legislators took their oaths in various languages including Assamese, Hindi, Bengali, Bodo, English, and Sanskrit. The new House consists of 126 members.
Dass is a four-time MLA representing the Bhowanipur-Sorbhog constituency, a seat he has held since 2011. His career includes serving as the president of the BJP's Assam unit and as a cabinet minister under Chief Minister Sarma from 2021 to 2026. He previously served as Speaker in 2016 following the BJP's first electoral victory in the state.
Chief Minister Sarma congratulated Dass, praising his background in journalism, public service, and politics. Sarma stated that the legislature would benefit from his deep experience and expressed confidence that he would maintain the productivity and traditions of the assembly. The leader of the BJP Legislature Party also promised full cooperation to ensure the smooth functioning of the House.
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