Senior Congress legislator Irengbam Hemochandra Singh has been elected unanimously as Speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly this morning. Cutting across party lines, 18 motions of his nomination moved by Congress, NCP, RJD and MPP legislators came in his favour and he was elected unanimously for the post of Speaker of the state legislature. The post of Speaker was lying vacant since the sudden demise of Dr. Sapam Budhichandra Singh in the last week of September. Hemochandra Singh was elected to the State Legislative Assembly from Singjamei Assembly Constituency in Imphal on Congress ticket for the fourth time in the general elections held in February, 2007. Earlier, he also held the post of Deputy Speaker of the State legislature. He was also Minister of State and Cabinet Minister of the state in 1994 and 1995. He also served as the President of the Manipur Pradesh Youth Congress Committee in 1993.