BJP MP Om Birla and Congress MP Kodikunnil Suresh submitted their nominations for the Lok Sabha Speaker election on Tuesday, marking the first-ever Speaker election in Lok Sabha history. This development came after negotiations between the ruling NDA and the Opposition’s INDIA bloc fell through.
Initially, the Opposition had agreed to support Om Birla, the government’s candidate, if the deputy Speaker position was given to an INDIA bloc member. However, an agreement was not reached.
Union minister and BJP leader Rajnath Singh tried to engage the Opposition earlier in the day. Despite this, Congress leader KC Venugopal and DMK’s TR Baalu walked out of Rajnath Singh’s office just before the nomination deadline, declining to support the NDA’s candidate.
KC Venugopal later explained that the government was unwilling to promise the deputy Speaker’s post to the Opposition.
Kodikunnil Suresh, according to the INDIA bloc, is the senior most parliament member, having won his eighth Lok Sabha election earlier this month.
Lok Sabha Speaker Election: Om Birla vs. K Suresh
The Lok Sabha Speaker elections will occur after negotiations between the ruling BJP-led NDA and the opposition fell apart, despite initial agreement. The NDA has nominated BJP MP Om Birla, while the opposition has chosen veteran Congress leader K Suresh.
The Speaker election is set for 11 am on Wednesday. The NDA, with a majority in the House, is expected to easily secure Om Birla’s election as Speaker.
To win, Om Birla needs 271 votes, half of the 542-member Lok Sabha (with the Wayanad seat vacant). The NDA has 293 members, while the opposition has 233.
Initially, there seemed to be an agreement between the government and the opposition. However, talks failed when the government did not commit to giving the Deputy Speaker’s post to the opposition, according to sources.
To build consensus on the Speaker candidate, the government assigned Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju.
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Parliament Session Updates
During a meeting in Rajnath Singh’s office, Congress’s KC Venugopal demanded an immediate assurance of the Deputy Speaker post for the opposition in exchange for supporting Om Birla’s unopposed re-election. The BJP-led NDA rejected this conditional support.
BJP leaders at the meeting stated that discussions on the Deputy Speaker post would occur later and that the opposition would be consulted. However, KC Venugopal insisted on an immediate commitment, causing the talks to collapse.
TMC Miffed Over Lack of Consultation
All NDA partners have signed Om Birla’s nomination papers. Conversely, major members of the INDIA bloc have signed K Suresh’s nomination papers, except for TMC.
Sources indicate TMC was not consulted on K Suresh’s candidacy for the Speaker’s post, and the party is waiting for a response from its leader, Mamata Banerjee.
Om Birla secured the Kota Lok Sabha seat by over 41,000 votes in the general elections.
K Suresh, who recently won his eighth Lok Sabha election from Mavelikkara, had previously served as a Union Minister in the second UPA government.
The opposition had earlier demanded Suresh be appointed as pro tem Speaker due to his seniority, but the government appointed Bhartruhari Mahtab instead.
First Day of Parliament
The consensus on the Speaker’s post follows a tense standoff between the government and the opposition over the appointment of pro tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab.
On Monday, opposition leaders refused to join the panel to assist the pro tem Speaker, accusing the government of breaking tradition by not appointing the senior-most Lok Sabha member to the temporary post.
The first day of the 18th Lok Sabha began contentiously, highlighted by a heated exchange between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mallikarjun Kharge over the 1975 Emergency.
As 262 MPs, including Prime Minister Modi, took oath, opposition MPs staged a protest in the Parliament complex. Members of the INDIA bloc, including Rahul Gandhi, raised slogans of “save democracy” and displayed copies of the Constitution.
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Lok Sabha Speaker Election FAQs
Q.1. Why is there a Speaker election in the Lok Sabha?
Ans. The Speaker election is being held due to the breakdown of negotiations between the ruling BJP-led NDA and the opposition’s INDIA bloc.
Q.2. Who are the candidates for the Lok Sabha Speaker position?
Ans. The NDA has nominated BJP MP Om Birla, while the opposition has chosen Congress MP K Suresh.
Q.3. What led to the disagreement between the government and the opposition?
Ans. The disagreement arose when the government refused to commit the Deputy Speaker post to the opposition, causing negotiations to collapse.
Q.4. What is required for a candidate to win the Speaker election?
Ans. A candidate needs 271 votes, half of the 542-member Lok Sabha, to win. The NDA has 293 members, while the opposition has 233.
Q.5. How did the opposition react to the appointment of the pro tem Speaker?
Ans. The opposition refused to assist the pro tem Speaker, accusing the government of breaking tradition by not appointing the senior-most member of the Lok Sabha.
