Confident Birla as LS speaker will play big role in House fulfilling people’s expectations: PM Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated Om Birla on his re-election as Lok Sabha Speaker, expressing confidence that he will guide parliamentarians and play a big role in the House fulfilling people’s expectations.

Modi and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju were joined by the Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi in escorting Birla, the BJP MP from Kota, to the Speaker’s chair after his election, marking a moment of bipartisan harmony after a day of rancour between the ruling alliance and opposition parties over the poll.

The House elected Birla with a voice vote after opposition parties fielded Congress member K Suresh as its choice for the post.

Congratulating him on his fresh term on behalf of the entire House, the prime minister lauded the third-term MP for his conduct as Speaker in the previous Lok Sabha and also as a parliamentarian.

Modi said Birla presided over a golden era in Lok Sabha’s history as a number of historic decisions were taken during its previous term. Noting that he is the first Speaker after Balram Jakhar, who was in the Chair between 1980 and 1989, to get another term after serving a full tenure, the prime minister expressed confidence that he will continue to create new bench marks.

The previous Lok Sabha notched up to 97 per cent productivity, highest in 25 years, he said, adding that Birla ensured the House’s functioning even during the Covid period and maintained its dignity and decorum, at times by taking difficult decision.

Birla’s sweet smile keeps the House happy, he said.

In over the last two decades, outgoing speakers either did not contest elections or lost in the poll, Modi said, adding Birla created history in this sense as well.

The prime minister praised the Kota MP’s welfare work for his constituency as an MP, saying it will inspire young parliamentarians.