Chennai, May 12 (IANS) J.C.D. Prabhakar was elected unopposed as the Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, while Ravi Shankar was chosen as the Deputy Speaker during the second day of the 17th Assembly session held amid a tense political atmosphere following the recently concluded elections.

The development assumes significance as the newly formed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)-led coalition government headed by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay continues to consolidate its position in the Assembly after emerging as the single largest formation with 108 seats in the 234-member House.

Following the Assembly elections, the TVK formed the government with the support of several parties. In the run-up to the first session of the new Assembly, Cholavandan MLA Karuppiah was appointed Pro-tem Speaker and was administered the oath of office by Governor Rajendra Viswanath Arlekar.

The first session of the newly elected Assembly commenced on Monday, during which all newly elected legislators took the oath as Members of the Legislative Assembly.

Chief Minister Vijay, Opposition Leader Udhayanidhi Stalin, ministers and MLAs from various political parties formally assumed office in the House.

Against the backdrop of shifting political equations and intense post-election developments in Tamil Nadu, the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker was closely watched by political observers.

Since no rival candidates filed nominations for the two posts, J.C.D. Prabhakar and Ravi Shankar were declared elected unopposed.

In keeping with Assembly tradition, Pro-tem Speaker Karuppiah and Opposition Leader Udhayanidhi Stalin escorted Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar to the Speaker’s chair in the House.

Leaders from both the treasury and opposition benches, including Chief Minister Vijay and Udhayanidhi Stalin, congratulated the newly elected Speaker and Deputy Speaker during the proceedings.

The smooth conduct of the election is being viewed as an important step towards ensuring stability in the functioning of the Assembly following the dramatic political realignments witnessed after the election results.

During the discussion in the House, AMMK MLA Kamaraj extended support to the TVK government and expressed confidence that Chief Minister Vijay would provide good governance over the next five years. He also conveyed hope that the present administration would continue for its full term.

The Assembly proceedings were peaceful even as political circles continue to closely monitor developments within the ruling alliance and opposition parties.

–IANS

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