<p>Bhubaneswar: Senior BJD leader Saluga Pradhan was on Tuesday elected unopposed as the deputy speaker of the Odisha Assembly.</p><p>The two-time tribal MLA from G Udayagiri constituency in Kandhamal district filed his nomination paper on Monday and he was the lone contestant for the post.</p><p>Speaker Pramila Mallik declared Pradhan elected uncontested as the deputy speaker of the assembly.</p><p>With this development, the Odisha Assembly now has a Dalit speaker and a tribal deputy speaker.</p><p>Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik congratulated Pradhan and said, "The assembly is an exalted pillar of democracy, all of us should uphold the dignity of this august House by our conduct. I request all our honourable members to extend their support and cooperation wholeheartedly to the deputy speaker in discharging his duties." </p><p>Pradhan, after his election, said, "I will try to conduct the proceedings of the House smoothly. I will respect the opinions of members of both ruling and opposition parties."</p><p>Senior Congress MLA Dasarathi Gamang and BJP chief whip Mohan Majhi, both tribals, congratulated Pradhan and vowed to cooperate with him.</p><p>The post of deputy speaker had fallen vacant after the resignation of Rajanikant Singh on November 8 citing personal reasons.</p>
<p>Bhubaneswar: Senior BJD leader Saluga Pradhan was on Tuesday elected unopposed as the deputy speaker of the Odisha Assembly.</p><p>The two-time tribal MLA from G Udayagiri constituency in Kandhamal district filed his nomination paper on Monday and he was the lone contestant for the post.</p><p>Speaker Pramila Mallik declared Pradhan elected uncontested as the deputy speaker of the assembly.</p><p>With this development, the Odisha Assembly now has a Dalit speaker and a tribal deputy speaker.</p><p>Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik congratulated Pradhan and said, "The assembly is an exalted pillar of democracy, all of us should uphold the dignity of this august House by our conduct. I request all our honourable members to extend their support and cooperation wholeheartedly to the deputy speaker in discharging his duties." </p><p>Pradhan, after his election, said, "I will try to conduct the proceedings of the House smoothly. I will respect the opinions of members of both ruling and opposition parties."</p><p>Senior Congress MLA Dasarathi Gamang and BJP chief whip Mohan Majhi, both tribals, congratulated Pradhan and vowed to cooperate with him.</p><p>The post of deputy speaker had fallen vacant after the resignation of Rajanikant Singh on November 8 citing personal reasons.</p>