BJP's Vijay Kumar Sinha elected Bihar Assembly Speaker

BJP's Vijay Kumar Sinha was elected as the new Speaker of the Bihar Assembly by a voice vote here on Wednesday.

Sinha, a seven-term MLA, was the NDA candidate pitted against Mahagathbandhan's rival Awadh Bihari Chaudhary of the RJD.

As many as 240 newly elected MLAs in the 243-seat Assembly participated in the voice vote, of which 126 favoured Sinha. Chaudhary obtain 114 votes.

The National Democratic Alliance has 125 MLAs. One Independent MLA also voted in favour of Sinha, who had filed his nomination for the post on Tuesday.

After his election, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and two deputy CMs, along with Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav and several Ministers escorted Sinha to the Speaker's chair. After taking his seat, Sinha thanked all MLAs, and Nitish Kumar on his election.

Earlier, Tejashwi urged Pro-Tem Speaker Jitan Ram Manjhi to send Nitish, Education Minister Ashok Chaudhary and Animal Husbandry Minister Mukesh Sahani out of the Vidhan Sabha as they were "not members of the House". Tejashwi said he apprehended that they could influence the MLAs during the voice vote.

BJP Bihar unit President Sanjay Jaiswal too congratulated Sinha on his election.