JMM's Rabindra Nath Mahato elected unopposed as Jharkhand assembly Speaker

    Ranchi, Dec 10 (PTI) JMM legislator Rabindra Nath Mahato was on Tuesday elected unopposed as the Speaker of the sixth Jharkhand assembly.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren proposed Mahato's name for the post and the proposal was seconded by JMM MLA Mathura Prasad Mahato during the second day of the assembly session.
    Rabindra Nath Mahato was also the Speaker in the previous fifth Jharkhand assembly.
    He was elected unopposed as the opposition decided not to put up a candidate.
    Soren congratulated Rabindra Nath Mahato on behalf of the ruling alliance for being elected as the Speaker of the assembly for the second consecutive term.
    "We had successfully completed the tenure of the fifth Jharkhand assembly under your leadership. You played an important role in strengthening the dignity of the House," Soren said in a congratulatory message.
    He added, "We hope and have full faith that like the previous sessions, we will together gather in this temple of democracy for the overall development of this state."
    Soren also urged the members of the opposition to respect the people's mandate and play a constructive role in the state's development.
    Rabindra Nath Mahato retained the Nala assembly seat on a JMM ticket after he defeated BJP's Madhav Chandra Mahato by a margin of 10,483 votes in the recent assembly elections.
    The JMM leader took oath as a member of the Jharkhand assembly along with other legislators on Monday.
    Senior BJP leader and Dhanwar MLA Babulal Marandi also congratulated Mahato for being elected as the Speaker.
    He urged the Speaker to listen to the opposition as they bring the real issues and information to the House.
    "The issues raised by the opposition members should be heard seriously. MLAs often raise burning issues in the House but they do not get much importance thereafter," he said.
    The newly elected Speaker thanked the voters who participated in the recently held elections.
    He said that people's expectations and aspirations have increased, which need collective efforts to fulfil.
    "I urge members to forget bitterness that arose out of the electoral competition. All MLAs should play a constructive role in building a new Jharkhand and take the state ahead," he said.
    Mahato said that the sixth assembly should have "a new vision and resolution with constructive and new ideas".
    Later, he adjourned the House till 11 am on Wednesday.
    The JMM-led alliance on November 23 stormed to power in Jharkhand for the second time in a row, securing 56 seats in the 81-member assembly, while the BJP-headed NDA managed 24.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)