The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha is scheduled to begin on June 24, with the Speaker’s election slated for June 26.
However, speculations around the Speaker’s post are rife.
Where the Bharatiya Janata Party appears to retain the Lok Sabha Speaker’s post, the Telugu Desam Party, reportedly, relinquishing its claim.
Reportedly, the BJP is considering to offer the Deputy Speaker's post to allies within the National Democratic Alliance.
The BJP has entrusted defence minister Rajnath Singh with the task of talking to the allies and the Opposition to ensure the Speaker’s election is unanimous.
The TDP was initially said to be keen on the Speaker’s post, especially keeping in mind the BJP’s knack of engineering defections from other parties without disqualification.
However, reportedly, the BJP sources said the party had managed to get the Andhra Pradesh ally on board.
It is learnt that the other principal NDA partner, the JD(U), too, have agreed that the post should go to the largest party in the ruling alliance, that is the BJP.
“The next Speaker will be picked through consensus by the NDA partners and the person will be from the BJP. Rajnathji has already begun consultations,” a senior BJP leader said.
With Modi’s third government signalling continuity by retaining all the senior ministers from his second, sources close to outgoing Speaker Om Birla are hopeful that he too would get a second term as the presiding officer of the Lower House.
Birla has been re-elected to the Lok Sabha from Kota in Rajasthan and is known to enjoy the trust and support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Opposition parties might, however, oppose Birla’s candidature given the record number of suspensions of their MPs in the 17th Lok Sabha.
Former Biju Janata Dal leader Bhartruhari Mahtab, who crossed over to the BJP in March just ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, appears to be another contender for the post.
The 66-year-old Mahtab was re-elected from Cuttack on a BJP ticket this time.
However, the TDP could push for a member from Andhra Pradesh, such as state BJP chief Daggubati Purandeshwari, to be appointed Speaker.
Purandeshwari, elected from the Rajahmundry seat, is the daughter of the late TDP founder, NT Rama Rao, and sister-in-law of Andhra chief minister and TDP boss N Chandrababu Naidu.
Narrowing down on Purandeshwari will be considered a tactical move. As the TDP will be happy, and the alliance can showcase its choice of a woman for the top parliamentary post.
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