Gandhinagar: BJP’s Purnesh Modi and Congress MLA Shailesh Parmar on Friday filed nomination papers for the post of deputy speaker of the Gujarat assembly. The post was vacant since Dec 25, 2025, following the resignation of Jetha Ahir from the post. The deputy speaker of the assembly will be chosen on the first day of the budget session of the assembly on Feb 16.The BJP candidate is expected to secure an easy win, as the ruling BJP has 162 MLAs in the 182-member House. The Congress has 12 legislators.
State agriculture minister Jitu Vaghani accompanied Purnesh Modi to file nomination for the post to the assembly secretary C B Pandya. Talking to reporters, Vaghani expressed confidence that Modi will become the next deputy speaker. A three-time MLA, Modi represents the Surat West seat.Congress leader Shailesh Parmar also filed his candidature on Friday. He told reporters that, though his party does not have the required strength in the House, he filed his nomination to “uphold constitutional values and assembly traditions because this post is usually given to the opposition”. Parmar is MLA from Ahmedabad’s Danilimda constituency.The budget session of the Gujarat Assembly will start from Feb 16 and continue until March 25, with finance minister Kanubhai Desai scheduled to present the state’s budget for 2026-27 on Feb 17.
