Patna: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Prem Kumar has been confirmed unopposed as speaker of the 18th Bihar Legislative Assembly. He filed his nomination papers on Monday — no other candidate came forward — making his election all but certain by Tuesday.
The only nomination was moved by a group of prominent leaders: Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, along with Vijay Kumar Choudhary of the Janata Dal (United) (JDU), Sanjay Kumar of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and Madhav Anand of the Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM). Their support effectively ended any contest for the post.
With this, BJP retains its hold over the speaker’s chair: the previous speaker, Nand Kishore Yadav, also belonged to the party. The unopposed elevation of Prem Kumar brings to a close what might otherwise have been a contested battle for the House’s top administrative post.
The appointment marks a milestone in a political career spanning roughly 35 years. Prem Kumar has represented the Gaya constituency since 1990, winning his ninth consecutive assembly election this year. He holds a master’s degree and LLB from Magadh University and went on to earn a PhD in history. Over the decades he has served in several key portfolios — including agriculture; urban development and housing; public works; public health engineering; forests and environment; and cooperatives.
Observers note that his unopposed election may help the new assembly avoid early confrontations over the speakership, ensuring a smoother start to legislative business under BJP leadership.
