Bhopal, Jul 5 (IANS): Rameshwar Sharma has been made the Protem Speaker of the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly. The Congress has questioned the appointment of Sharma and termed it illegal.

State Backward Class Commission Chairman J.P. Dhanopia said that all democratic traditions have been being ignored by the Bharatiya Janata Party in the state. The Protem Speaker is made up of an MLA who is a senior and has served on the Speaker's panel for the last five years, but Sharma does not meet this criteria, so his appointment is invalid and should be repealed immediately.

The earlier Protem Speaker Jagdish Deora has been sworn in as the Minister.

Dhanopia said that Deora's appointment to the post of minister is wrong as a Protem Speaker cannot be appointed to any other post. Deora took the oath of office on July 2 at 11 a.m. and at 4 p.m. he resigned as the Protem Speaker.

An all-party committee should be constituted to investigate this incident and Deora should be removed as Minister immediately.