New Delhi: Rohini MLA Vijender Gupta on Monday was elected the Speaker of the Delhi Assembly, following a nomination on Thursday (February 20, 2025).
Mr. Gupta was nominated on Thursday for the post of the Assembly Speaker.
The third-term Rohini legislator, along with other BJP MLAs, had approached the court earlier, alleging that the AAP government was preventing the tabling of 14 Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports on its performance. Confirming his nomination on Thursday, he had said he would first of all get the CAG reports that were kept pending by the previous AAP government tabled before the House.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, addressing the first Assembly session of the eight Vidhan Sabha, congratulated Mr. Gupta. “I have full faith this Assembly will run smoothly under your guidance,” Ms. Gupta said.
“As the Leader of the Opposition (LoP), you have faced several issues. You were marshalled out several times and faced difficult behaviour but I am sure that you will run this house smoothly,” she added.
Following the selection, Leader of the Opposition and AAP MLA Atishi said the photos of Baba Saheb Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh have been removed from the Chief Minister’s Office post election. “This shows the anti-Dalit and anti-Sikh attitude of the BJP,” she said.
The AAP, while it was in power in Delhi, had installed photos of both B.R. Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh in all important Delhi government offices.
Mr. Gupta, reacting to it, opposed the behaviour of Ms. Atishi, stating that the Opposition will get all the opportunity to speak but if they behave in an unruly manner, the ruling party will not take it lightly.
“If the opposition doesn’t behave appropriately, I will be forced to give you a first warning and if you are not seated, we will not take it lightly. I am requesting you not ruin the peace of the first Assembly session on the very first day,” he said.
The BJP has 48 MLAs in the newly constituted eighth Delhi Assembly while the opposition AAP has 22 legislators. The Assembly Speaker is elected by the House members.