New Delhi [India], June 25 (ANI): The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance nominee for Speaker post of the Lok Sabha Om Birla met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Parliament House on Tuesday.
After failing to reach a consensus on the appointment of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Om Birla, the opposition INDIA bloc has nominated Congress MP K Suresh for the post of Lok Sabha speaker.
The opposition had been demanding the post of Deputy Speaker, however, with no clarity forthcoming from the BJP, the INDIA bloc has put forward Congress MP K Suresh’s name for the Speaker’s post.
On the other hand, BJP has nominated its Kota MP Om Birla for the Speaker’s post, who previously served as the Speaker in the 17th Lok Sabha.
Earlier, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that they had informed Defence Minister Rajnath Singh that the Opposition is prepared to support NDA’s Speaker candidate, on the condition that the Deputy Speaker position is given to the opposition.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi said, “We have said to Rajnath Singh that we will support their Speaker (candidate) but the convention is that the post of Deputy Speaker is given to the Opposition.”
Further elaborating on discussions between Rajnath Singh and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul also criticised the treatment of opposition leaders, alleging disrespect.
“Today it is written in the newspaper that PM Modi has said that the Opposition should cooperate with the government constructively. Rajnath Singh called Mallikarjun Kharge and he asked him to extend support to the Speaker. The entire Opposition said that we would support the speaker, but the convention is that the Deputy Speaker post should be given to the opposition. Rajnath Singh said that he would call back Mallikarjun Kharge but he has not done that yet…PM Modi is asking for cooperation from Opposition but our leader is getting insulted,” he said.
Meanwhile, BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab is serving as the pro-tem speaker.
The elections for the speaker’s post will be held on June 26. The NDA, which commands 293 MPs in the 543-member Lok Sabha, holds a clear majority, while the opposition INDIA bloc comprises 234 MPs. (ANI)
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