Purnesh Modi Elected New Deputy Speaker of Gujarat Assembly

Ahmedabad, Gujarat: On the first day of the Gujarat Assembly’s budget session, BJP MLA and former minister Purnesh Modi from Surat was elected as the new Deputy Speaker. His term will continue until 2027. The nomination of Congress leader Shailesh Parmar was rejected, and Modi secured the post through voice vote.

Political Comeback

Purnesh Modi, a three-time MLA from Surat West, previously served as a cabinet minister in Gujarat. His election as Deputy Speaker is seen as a strong political comeback following his appointment as the new state president of the BJP. Earlier, he had fallen out of favor when former state head and Union Minister C.R. Patil was in charge. Modi succeeds Jethabhai Bharwad, who had resigned from the post citing personal reasons.

National Spotlight

Modi came into national prominence when he filed a defamation case against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over the “Modi surname” issue. A Surat court initially sentenced Rahul Gandhi to two years in prison, leading to the loss of his Lok Sabha membership. The Supreme Court later stayed the conviction, and the case is still ongoing.

Early Political Career

Purnesh Modi first became an MLA in a 2013 by-election and was subsequently re-elected in 2017 and 2022. Representing the Surat West constituency, his elevation to Deputy Speaker is expected to send a strong message to the OBC community and bolster the BJP’s prospects in upcoming Surat municipal elections. The current Gujarat Assembly Speaker is Shankar Chaudhary.