Journalism of Courage
MP Om Birla was elected as Lok Sabha Speaker Wednesday by a voice vote for the second time in a row. (Express Photo by Renuka Puri)
The Lok Sabha witnessed a contest between Birla and the INDIA bloc’s nominee Kodikunnil Suresh after the Narendra Modi-led NDA government and the Opposition alliance failed to reach a consensus.(Express Photo by Renuka Puri)
PM Modi and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, whom the Congress has named Leader of the Opposition in the House, congratulated Birla as he took charge. (Express Photo by Renuka Puri)
Modi said Birla was becoming the Speaker for the second time after a full term like Balram Jakhar, and added that such was the work of the Speaker that past Speakers often either did not contest another election or lost it. (Express Photo by Renuka Puri)
Rahul Gandhi congratulated Birla for being elected to the post and said he was confident that the Speaker would allow the Opposition to represent their voices as well as that of the people of India. (Express Photo by Renuka Puri)
In his first 5-year stint as the Speaker, Birla had a mixed track record as he led a House that had a brute majority of the NDA. (Express Photo by Renuka Puri)
Birla is, however, also said to have made attempts to “accommodate” the voices of the Opposition members by giving opportunity to many of their MPs to speak on a wide range of issues. (Express Photo by Renuka Puri)
Before being elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time from Kota in 2014, Birla was elected to the Rajasthan Assembly thrice. (Express Photo by Renuka Puri)
Winning his first election at the age of 17, Birla is credited with a key role in the development of the party system of booth-management in the BJP circles. (Express Photo by Renuka Puri)
Birla holds a graduate and post graduate degree in commerce and has been associated with various cooperative associations in the state and at the national level. (Express Photo by Renuka Puri)
