Amid massive BJP vs Congress row, BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab takes oath as pro-tem Speaker

BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab on Monday took oath as the pro-tem Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha. President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath to Mahtab. With this, the senior Parliamentarian is set to preside over the Lok Sabha session and will also oversee the oath-taking ceremony for the newly elected MPs. 

The row over his appointment as pro-tem Speaker is likely to escalate on the first day of the Parliament session.Opposition, especially Congress, claimed that by appointing Mahtab, the BJP violated tradition.

The grand old party also claimed that the NDA overlooked Congress MP K Suresh despite him being senior to Mahtab. Suresh has served eight terms in the Lok Sabha.

Mahtab, on the other hand, is a seven-term Lok Sabha MP from Odisha. He has the longest uninterrupted term as Lok Sabha MP. Traditionally, the senior most Parliamentarian is appointed as the pro-tem Speaker. 

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh accused the BJP of violating parliamentary norms and politicising the appointment. He added that by convention, the MP who has served the maximum term will be appointed as the pro-tem Speaker for the first two days when the oath is administered to all newly elected MPs.