Raut Assures INDIA Bloc Support to TDP’s Candidate for Speaker’s Post

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday claimed that if the Speaker of Lok Sabha will not be appointed from the non-BJP constituents of NDA, Narendra Modi and Amit Shah would break JD (U), TDP, and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), which are alliance partners of the BJP. Mr. Raut also offered the INDIA bloc’s support to N. Chandrababu Naidu-led party if it fields its candidate for Lok Sabha speaker's election. He said that the BJP has a history of betraying the people who support them.

In the recently concluded Lok Sabha election, the BJP won 240 seats. The saffron party needs the support of JD (U), TDP and Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) to prove its majority in the House.

Mr. Raut, who is also a member of Rajya Sabha, said that NDA constituents, especially TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu, want the Lok Sabha speaker’s post. “If the Speaker’s post is not given to the other NDA parties, Narendra Modi and Amit Shah will break the TDP, Nitish Kumar-led JD (U) and Lok Janshakti Party. Which is why the Speaker‘s post is very important,” he said.

Accusing Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar of breaking Shiv Sena by unconstitutional means, he said that Narwekar was working as a political agent of the BJP in Maharashtra Assembly. “Similar verdict can be delivered in Lok Sabha if the Speaker is belonging to the BJP. The BJP has a history of betraying those who support them,” Mr. Raut said while cautioning the JD (U) and TDP.

While deciding the disqualification petitions filed against Shiv Sena and NCP legislators following the vertical splits in the two parties, Mr. Narvekar has ruled that the Eknath Shinde faction is the “real Shiv Sena” and the Ajit Pawar faction is the “real NCP”.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader also pointed out that the NDA government has been formed with the support of JD (U), TDP and LJP. “If the BJP gets the Lok Sabha Speaker’s post, it would certainly break the JD (U), TDP and Chirag Paswan’s party. If Chandrababu Naidu fields his candidate in Lok Sabha for Speaker’s post, we will discuss the issue with INDIA bloc partners and support his candidate,” Mr. Raut said.

He also said that the election of Lok Sabha’s Speaker must be done in a transparent manner and the Deputy Speaker’s post should be given to the opposition parties.