As scripted, Meira Kumar was unanimously elected the Lok Sabha Speaker on Wednesday, becoming the first woman to hold the post. While Congress president Sonia Gandhi proposed her name, and Leader of the House and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee seconded it, leaders of other parties — BJP’s L K Advani and Sushma Swaraj, Trinamool Congress’s Mamata Banerjee, DMK’s T R Baalu, SP’s Mulayam Singh Yadav, JD(U)’s Sharad Yadav, NCP’s Sharad Pawar and NC’s Farooq Abdullah — lent their support to her candidature.

With no other candidates, Meira was elected unopposed amidst thumping of desks. She was escorted to the Speaker’s podium by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Sonia and Advani.

And in her first action as Speaker, Meira expunged the remarks of RJD chief Lalu Prasad and JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav as they engaged in a verbal duel.

Hailing her election as a historic moment, the Prime Minister referred to his association with Meira’s father, Jagjivan Ram, and said she possessed the wisdom, knowledge and experience which defined his personality.

“I am overwhelmed. I accept the honour bestowed upon me with humility,” said Meira in her acceptance speech, vowing to run the House in accordance with the Constitution, rules and traditions. “I assure the House that I will pay full attention to all sections of the House,” she added.

Emphasising the need to avoid disruptions, she said, “We should discuss and debate, and if need be, we should express our differences in a gentle manner without affecting the working of the House.”

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