Raipur: Senior Bhartiya Janata Party leader and former Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh has been unanimously elected as the of the state legislative assembly on Tuesday, December 19 as the first session of the newly-elected assembly began. 

Chief Minister Vinshu Deo Sai moved a proposal for the election of 71-year-old Singh as the speaker which was seconded by Deputy CM Arun Sao.

Leader of opposition Charandas Mahant also moved a proposal for the election of Singh as the speaker which was seconded by senior Congress leader and former CM Bhupesh Baghel. Three more proposals were moved by BJP members in favour of Raman Singh.

On Sunday, Singh filed his nomination for the speaker's post and said his new responsibility will be to take everyone together in the Chhattisgarh Vidhan Sabha.

Raman Singh, a seven-term MLA, has won Rajnandgaon seat for four consecutive times - in 2008, 2013, 2018 and 2023 and has been serving as the Chhattisgarh CM since the formation of the state till 2018 when Congress cliched the state from BJP under the leadership of Bhupesh Baghel. 

(With PTI inputs)