Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab made the announcement after the opposition, which had forwarded the the name of eight-term Congress MP Kodikunnil Suresh as its candidate, did not press for votes to the motion
With this, Birla, the BJP's MP from Kota, gets a second consecutive term in the chair, the fifth time that a speaker will serve beyond the tenure of one Lok Sabha
It is also amongst the few occasions that an election became necessary for a post conventionally decided by consensus
Soon after, Modi and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju went to Birla's seat in the front row of the treasury benches to escort him to the chair
Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi also joined them. Gandhi greeted Birla and also shook hands with the prime minister
After that, Modi, Gandhi and Rijiju escorted Birla to the chair where Mahtab welcomed him saying, "It is your chair, please occupy"
In his address, the first in the 18th Lok Sabha, Modi said Birla's work as a parliamentarian should be an inspiration for new Lok Sabha members
"It is a matter of honour that you have been elected to this chair for a second time," the prime minister said
"I congratulate you on behalf of the entire House and look forward to your guidance for next five years," he said, adding that Birla's "sweet smile" keeps the entire Lok Sabha happy
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