New Delhi:
For the first time in decades, a contest for the position of Speaker of the Lok Sabha, which is arguably one of the most important in a parliamentary democracy, will pit the ruling coalition of the BJP against the opposition bloc of the Congress. This contest will take place on Wednesday after the two parties were unable to come to an agreement over a seat distribution.
Also Read: http://18-lok-sabha-polls-update
Typically, the Speaker and his or her deputy are chosen by consensus.
Tomorrow’s poll is set to begin at 11 a.m. and pit the Congress’ Kodikunnil Suresh, an eight-term lawmaker from Kerala’s Mavelikara, against the BJP’s Om Birla, a three-time MP from Kota in Rajasthan. In the 18th Lok Sabha, Mr. Suresh has served as a legislator for the longest.
Congress versus BJP. What Was Said by Who?
Given the majority of the BJP-led alliance and the fact that the ruling coalition has 293 MPs to the INDIA bloc’s 232, Mr. Birla is expected to win the position of Speaker of the Lok Sabha, which is decided by a simple majority of MPs voting.
“This is the party’s decision… not mine,” Mr. Suresh informed the media following the filing of his documents. It is customary for the Deputy Speaker to come from the opposition. However, the BJP is not prepared to take this action. We waited till 11:50 a.m., but nobody answered. Thus, we submitted the nomination.”
However, Union Minister Piyush Goyal refuted that assertion, stating that there is no historical precedent dictating that the Deputy Speaker seat should be filled by an opposition party member.
BJP Asks for Agreement, Congress Responds:
Ahead of the 12:00 nomination deadline, there was a lot of drama this morning as the BJP tried to get the opposition to agree to re-appoint Mr. Birla as Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
Such tasks fell to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Meeting with leaders of the INDIA group, such as Mallikarjun Kharge of the Congress, Mr. Singh and Mr. Rijiju were informed that unanimity hinged on the opposition obtaining the position of Deputy Speaker.
In order to maintain a balanced House, the deputy’s chair is customarily reserved for an opposition MP.
The office remained unfilled in the second Modi government (2019–2024), although during the first (2014–2019), AIADMK member M Thambidurai, an ally of the ruling BJP, was appointed to the role.
Regretfully, the BJP’s meeting with opposition leaders did not turn out as planned; the INDIA bloc declared that it would be willing to back Mr. Birla’s candidacy in exchange for the deputy’s job.
The BJP allegedly requested instant support for Mr. Birla and stated that a choice about his deputy would be made later, according to sources who spoke with NDTV. The party was apparently unable to budge on this demand.
But the opposition would not have it, and as the deadline for noon drew near, rumors circulated that K Suresh of the Congress would be considered to replace Om Birla.
And so it came to pass that Mr. Suresh had filed his name, as evidenced by images showing prominent figures from the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance accompanying Mr. Birla to submit his paperwork.
BJP officials informed NDTV that attempts had been made to forge a consensus with an opposition that retaliated with “pressure politics” in the ensuing back and forth that was unavoidable.
According to sources, DMK leader TR Baalu and Congressman KC Venugopal demanded a pledge from the BJP that the Deputy Speaker would serve as an opposition member of parliament.
The same sources blamed the opposition’s “lack of commitment led to a failure of consensus” and added that the BJP had made it clear it was hesitant to provide such a promise.
