(The Hindu) The announcement of the date for the election of a new Speaker for the Lok Sabha has set off speculation over who will occupy the post on June 26. The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners are likely to meet on June 22 or 23 to decide its candidate. While the Janata Dal(U) has said it would respect the BJP’s claim on the post, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is speaking of a consensus “NDA candidate”.
Matters have been complicated by Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, who said the Opposition Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc will support the TDP’s choice if the party decided to field a candidate for the Speaker’s election. Mr. Raut said the Opposition’s support would be forthcoming, apprehending alleged designs by the BJP to break the parties of its allies to shore up its own numbers.
“I hear the TDP wants to field its candidate. If that happens, INDIA bloc partners will discuss the issue and will try to ensure that all the INDIA alliance partners extend support to the TDP,” he said. He said the Opposition should get the Deputy Speaker’s post in accordance with the rules. The Lok Sabha did not have a Deputy Speaker for the past five years.
Sources in the TDP told The Hindu that the BJP “had been consultative so far” and it expected this attitude to continue. TDP sources confirmed that the name of Daggubatti Purandareshwari was making the rounds, as was the name of Bhratruhari Mahtab, a multiple-term member earlier with the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and now with the BJP. “We are yet to formally discuss it, though,” the source said.
The JD(U) did not have any such misgivings. “The position of the Lok Sabha Speaker is the most dignified post of the House. The ruling party has the first right on the seat. The demands and statements of the INDIA bloc are objectionable. We believe that the BJP is the big party of the NDA. I have been in the NDA for 35 years. The BJP never tried to break any party. We will never try to weaken NDA,” JD(U) spokesperson K.C. Tyagi said.
Going by the trend for continuity with Prime Minister Narendra Modi repeating nearly all the Ministers from his previous tenure, there is also talk that the incumbent Speaker, Om Birla, could be repeated. The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha will be held from June 24 to July 3.