Bhubaneswar, Nov 20 (PTI) BJD legislator Saluga Pradhan on Monday filed nomination papers for the post of deputy speaker of the Odisha assembly.

The election for the deputy speaker post is scheduled to be held at 9.30 AM on Tuesday, the day the winter session of the assembly will begin.

Accompanied by health minister Niranjan Pujari and other senior leaders of the ruling party, Pradhan, the two-time MLA from G. Udayagiri assembly segment in Kandhamal district, submitted his nomination papers.

“I thank party president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for nominating me for the post of deputy speaker. I will try my best to make sure that the assembly functions properly,” Pradhan, a tribal leader of the ruling party, told reporters after filing the nomination papers.

As the opposition parties haven’t fielded any candidate and the ruling BJD enjoys a majority in the House, Pradhan is all set to be elected as the deputy speaker uncontested.

Earlier, the assembly secretary had written to all the MLAs, requesting them to attend a meeting to elect the deputy speaker at 9.30 am on November 21.

Rajani Kant Singh has resigned as the deputy speaker of the assembly to devote more time to the organisation of Biju Janata Dal (BJD).

Pramila Mallik, a senior BJD leader from the Dalit community, was earlier elected as the speaker of the assembly. PTI AAM BDC