Om Birla unanimously elected LS speaker

New Delhi: NDA nominee Om Birla was on Wednesday unanimously elected speaker of the Lok Sabha with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the opposition assuring him of their whole-hearted support in the smooth conduct of proceedings in the House.

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary, DMK's T R Baalu and TMC's Sudip Bandyopadhyay were among those who backed Birla and urged him to be impartial as presiding officer of the lower house.

"I on behalf of the government and the treasury benches assure you full support in conducting the House. I also assure you that your order will prevail and you must be tough even if anyone from our side (treasury benches) crosses the limit," Modi said, congratulating Birla.

Birla assured the members that he will run the House in an impartial manner and everyone will be heard.

"I have been a member like you from 2014 to 2019. And here we should raise issues which matter to the last person standing in the row," he said.See P5