Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju criticized the Congress on Friday for politicizing the appointment of Lok Sabha pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab, highlighting that conventions were followed in selecting Mahtab due to his extensive tenure as a seven-term Lok Sabha MP from Odisha. President Droupadi Murmu appointed Mahtab to administer oath/affirmation to newly elected members. Rijiju rebutted Congress accusations of flouting parliamentary norms, stating that the Congress's claims about another MP's eligibility lacked merit due to interruptions in his tenure.
