Delhi Assembly: BJP MLA Vijender Gupta, a leading candidate for the position of Delhi Chief Minister, was elected as Speaker of the Delhi Legislative Assembly on Monday, February 24.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, Atishi, accompanied Vijender Gupta to the Speaker’s chair.
The motions for the election were seconded by ministers Manjinder Singh Sirsa and Parvesh Verma.
The election process was overseen by Arvinder Singh Lovely, the pro-tem Speaker, as reported by ANI.
Promises by Vijender Gupta
Vijender Gupta, a three-time MLA from the Rohini constituency, previously announced that his immediate priority as Speaker would be to table 14 CAG reports that were allegedly withheld by the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.
“I am extremely grateful to the party for entrusting me with the responsibility of Delhi Assembly’s Speaker. I will fulfill this duty diligently,” Vijender Gupta was quoted as saying by newswire PTI.
Being a former Leader of the Opposition during AAP’s tenure, Vijender Gupta has faced expulsion from the Assembly on multiple occasions.
Following the election, Leader of the Opposition and AAP MLA Atishi alleged that pictures of B.R. Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh had been removed from the Chief Minister’s Office. “This indicates the BJP’s anti-Dalit and anti-Sikh stance,” she remarked.
During AAP’s governance in Delhi, images of both B.R. Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh were displayed in all significant government offices.
Vijender Gupta responded to Atishi’s comments by asserting that the Opposition would have ample opportunities to express themselves; however, unruly behavior would not be tolerated by the ruling party.
“If the opposition does not behave appropriately, I will be compelled to issue a first warning. We will not take it lightly if you do not remain seated. I urge you to maintain decorum during the inaugural Assembly session,” Vijender Gupta stated, as reported by The Hindu.
‘Opposition’s Attitude is Irresponsible’
After the first day of the Delhi Assembly session, Vijender Gupta claimed that the opposition did not permit even their own members to speak.
“The behavior of the opposition was irresponsible. They did not allow even their own members to voice their opinions… This disregards the parliamentary system,” Vijender Gupta told ANI.
The BJP commands 48 seats in the newly constituted 8th Delhi Assembly, while the opposition Aam Aadmi Party has 22 legislators. The members of the House are responsible for electing the Speaker of the Assembly.
