rajnath-singh-engages-opposition-for-ls-speaker

As the deadline for nominating the next Lok Sabha Speaker approaches, senior cabinet minister Rajnath Singh has taken steps to engage with opposition leaders on behalf of the government.

 

The aim is to foster consensus for electing the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Lower House of Parliament, according to reliable sources. Alongside Singh, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has also reached out to opposition figures in an effort to facilitate dialogue.

 

The upcoming election for the Speaker's post could mark a departure from the norm, with the INDIA bloc of the opposition potentially fielding its candidate.

 

This would be a significant deviation from the tradition since independence, where Speakers and Deputy Speakers were typically elected through consensus between the ruling party and the opposition.

 

While the ruling alliance, led by the BJP, has yet to reveal its nominee for the Speaker's position, speculation abounds that Om Birla, who served as Speaker during the 17th Lok Sabha, may be poised for a return. Additionally, Bhartruhari Mahtab, the current pro-tem Speaker, is also considered a front-runner in the race.

 

The nomination process is scheduled for today, and the elections will take place on June 26. Meanwhile, tensions have surfaced over the appointment of Bhartruhari Mahtab as pro-tem Speaker, prompting leaders from the INDIA bloc to stage a symbolic protest inside the Parliament premises in New Delhi. Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Mallikarjun Kharge participated in this demonstration.

 

Traditionally, the position of Deputy Speaker, which remained vacant in the previous term, is offered to the opposition. Congress MP K Suresh expressed concerns over the lack of consensus-building efforts from the BJP, stating, "The Speaker should ideally be elected unanimously... It's the BJP's responsibility to initiate discussions with the opposition. So far, they haven't made any effort towards consensus."

 

In response, NK Premachandran, an MP from the Revolutionary Socialist Party, affirmed that the INDIA bloc intends to contest both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker positions if consensus is not reached through dialogue with the government.

 

Contrary to these assertions, BJP MP Khagen Murmu criticised the opposition's stance, accusing them of attempting to disrupt parliamentary proceedings due to their numerical disadvantage.

 

Murmu emphasised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to national interests and criticised opposition efforts to obstruct legislative business.

 

The election of the Lok Sabha Speaker is scheduled for June 26, followed by President Murmu's address to a joint sitting of Parliament on June 27. The ruling NDA, with its 293 MPs in the 543-member Lok Sabha, holds a significant majority over the INDIA bloc, which commands 234 seats.