LS Speaker Poll to Be Held Today

Seeking re-election of Mr Birla, the BJP had sought support from the Opposition parties to make him a consensus candidate. The INDIA bloc, however, was agreeable to concede the top post provided the deputy speaker was from their camp. The BJP refused to make any commitment at this stage, and said let the Speaker’s election be over first, then they can sit and discuss the name of the deputy speaker.

The election for Speaker will take place on June 26. This will be for the first time in over four decades that an election for the post of Speaker will take place. Mr Birla is seeking a second term as Speaker. Prior to this, Balram Jakhar of the Congress had completed two terms as Speaker. The last time an election was held for the Speaker’s post was in 1976, and prior to that in 1952.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi told the media the Opposition was ready to support the NDA’s Lok Sabha Speaker choice during a meeting called by defence minister Rajnath Singh, provided the deputy speaker’s post was given to the INDIA bloc.

But with the BJP non-committal on the issue, the Congress and DMK representatives walked out of a meeting, ruling out a consensus candidate for the post.

Mr Gandhi said the NDA had insulted its leader Mallikarjun Kharge. “Monday evening Mr Rajnath Singh spoke to the Congress president asking for a consensus candidate. They (BJP) said they will call back, but till now they haven’t called back”, said Mr Gandhi.

BJP president J.P. Nadda said the election of Speaker cannot be conditional. Another BJP leader Parhlad Joshi said: “There cannot be preconditions. We will sit again and talk for the deputy speaker post. We urge the Opposition to rethink.”

Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju said that the Opposition was consulted three times and added the deputy speaker appointment was a different process and the NDA will discuss it separately. He called the Opposition “adamant” and appealed to the Congress to support Mr Birla’s candidature. Mr Rijiju said that in every Lok Sabha the Speaker was elected unanimously.

“Union minister Rajnath Singh had called Mallikarjun Kharge ji and has said that he will return his call, but it has not been done. While Modi ji wants constructive cooperation they are insulting our leader by not returning the call,” Mr Gandhi told reporters. “We gave the deputy speaker post to the Opposition during UPA. Mr Modi will have to change. The PM’s words have no value. Outside (Parliament) he talks about cooperation but inside he does just the opposite.”

INDIA bloc leaders flanked Mr Suresh as he filed his nomination. However, INDIA partner Trinamul Congress said it had not been consulted and the Congress had unilaterally taken the decision. Later, it is learnt that Mr Gandhi spoke to TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee on the nomination of Mr Suresh to end his grievance and the latter attended the INDIA bloc meeting.

Sources said after the talks with the BJP failed, the Congress had to take a decision on the spot to field a candidate for the Speaker’s post.

It is learnt that the meeting between Congress leader K.C. Venugopal and DMK’s T.R. Baalu from the Opposition side and Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah and J.P. Nadda at Mr Singh’s office in Parliament to evolve a consensus ended in acrimony as both sides stuck to their position.

Mr Suresh said it was not about winning or losing, but about a convention that the Speaker will be of ruling party and the deputy speaker from the Opposition. “The last two Lok Sabhas, they denied us the deputy speaker’s post because they said you are not recognised as the Opposition. Now we are recognised as the Opposition, (and) the deputy speaker’s post is our right. But they are not ready to give us. Till 11.50 am, we were waiting for a reply from the government’s side but they did not give any reply,” he said.

Sources said over 10 sets of nominations (called notices for motion) were filed in support of Mr Birla's candidature, including from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and J.P. Nadda, and members of BJP allies like the TDP, JD(U), JD(S) and LJP (R). Three sets of nominations were filed in support of Mr Suresh.
Ahead of the contest, the INDIA bloc held a meeting at Mr Kharge’s residence to decide its strategy for Wednesday’s action.