BIG: BJP MP Dr Virendra Kumar to be the Protem Speaker of the 17th Lok Sabha

In a major development in 17th Lok Sabha, on Tuesday, BJP MP Dr.Virendra Kumar is to be next Protem Speaker of newly elected Lok Sabha, according to ANI.

Maneka Gandhi, Rha Mohan Singh, Virender Kumar In Contention For Speaker's Post

race for post was between senior BJP parliamentarians, including former Union ministers Maneka Gandhi, Rha Mohan Singh and Virender Kumar. decision was to be finalized by June 3. Former Union ministers Jual Oram and S S Ahluwalia were also among possible candidates.

Dr. Virendra Kumar, a six-time MP, ultimately won post with his Dalit identity a factor working in his favour.

Eight-term MP Gandhi is most experienced BJP lawmaker in Lok Sabha and was seen as a natural choice for speaker's post. She was also likely to be appointed as pro-tem speaker, being senior most parliamentarian in seventeenth Lok Sabha. Singh too, a six-term MP, was a strong contender for job due to his deep roots in organisation and im of an affable and gentle leer.

first session of new Lok Sabha is scheduled to begin on June 17. Election to post of speaker will be held on June 19. BJP-led NDA minee is set to be elected for post as it has nearly two-thirds majority in 542-member house.

A Day After Swearing-in, Modi Government's First Cabinet Meeting To Be Held At 5pm On Friday

Narendra Modi took oath as Prime Minister of India in Rashtrapati Bhawan forecourt along with 35 Cabinet Ministers, 9 Ministers of State with Independent Charge and 25 Ministers of State. Among significant statistics, it was learnt that aver of Council of Ministers is 59.36.

Prime Ministers's swearing-in ceremony was attended by approximately 8000 guests including  VVIPs, state Chief Ministers, state unit chiefs of BJP, state ministers, present members of Parliament, former members of Parliament and or special guests. World leers namely - President of Banglesh - Md. Abdul Hamid, President of Sri Lanka - Maithripala Sirisena, President of Kyrgyz Republic - Sooronbay Jeenbekov, President of Myanmar - U Win Myint, Prime Minister of Mauritius - Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Prime Minister of Nepal -  K.P. Sharma Oli, Prime Minister of Bhutan - Dr. Lotay Tshering  and Special Envoy of Thailand - Mr. Grisa Boonrach were present for oath-taking.

A few who were absent from evening's proceedings are Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, Telangana Chief KC Rao, Andhra Presh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, and Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan.