The Hindu : Front Page : Sukhdev Rajbhar to be U.P. Speaker

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 17, 2007
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Sukhdev Rajbhar to be U.P. Speaker

Special Correspondent

LUCKNOW: Sukhdev Rajbhar is tipped to become the Speaker of the 15th Vidhan Sabha in Uttar Pradesh. His name was cleared by Chief Minister Mayawati on Wednesday after consultations with senior ministerial colleagues Naseemuddin Siddiqui, Indrajit Saroj and Lalji Verma.

Mr. Rajbhar, who was sworn in Cabinet Minister on Sunday, submitted his resignation on Wednesday. Bahujan Samaj Party national general secretary and MP Satish Chandra Mishra replaces Mr. Rajbhar in the Cabinet.

Mr. Mishra was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor T.V. Rajeswar at the Raj Bhavan.

An MLA from Lalganj in Azamgarh district, Mr. Rajbhar served as Parliamentary Affairs Minister in 2002-2003. He will be sworn in Speaker on May 18 by the pro tem Speaker Shyam Dev Roychowdhary.

With Mr. Mishra's induction, the number of Brahmin Cabinet Ministers has gone up to four. Credited with mobilising Brahmin support for the party, Mr. Mishra was a surprise inclusion in the Cabinet. The search for a Speaker nominee delayed his induction and portfolio allocation.

Meanwhile, Congress member Pramod Tiwari, Samajwadi Party members Gauri Shankar and Janardhan Prasad Ojha and BSP member Ram Pal Verma were sworn in MLAs by Mr. Rajeswar. The four-member panel will administer the oath to the remaining 398 newly elected members on Thursday.

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