After hectic consultations with NDA partners by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during the last few days, the BJP has categorically conveyed its decision that it is keen to retain the Lok Sabha Speaker post.
In view of BJP failing to get absolute majority on its own in the Lok Sabha, it was felt that key partners like TDP and JDU may claim Speaker position in the tradition followed during the first NDA government by Vajpayee.
But, now it is learnt that the BJP is offering to give Deputy Speaker post to its allies, against the normal practice of offering it to the opposition parties. On the otherhand, INDIA bloc parties are insisting on their claim for Deputy Speaker post.
If the government failed to meet the parliamentary tradition of offering the post to the opposition, they are considering putting a candidate in the Speaker election, If the opposition gets ready to contest in the Speaker election, this will be the first time after independence. As per normal procedure, so far the opposition parties are facilitating unanimous election of the Speaker.
Meanwhile, within BJP though there are many names are going round for Speaker post, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a signal of continuity of erstwhile Speaker Om Birla. In the cabinet formation also, he continued several key ministers of his earlier cabinet.
Modi even retained the portfolios of the key ministers signalling that not much has changed from the previous term despite the BJP not getting full majority.
The BJP had earlier given only one term to 71-year-old Sumitra Mahajan (now 81), who was Speaker from 2014 to 2019, though her performance was praiseworthy by all political parties. She was not later given Lok Sabha seat even.
The BJP is yet to disclose the name of candidate for the Speaker’s post as discussions were held within the NDA grouping. Sources indicated Birla was still the frontrunner. If Birla got elected, he stands a chance of becoming the second person to hold the post in two full terms. Congress’s Balram Jhakhar was the longest serving Lok Sabha speaker with two terms lasting nearly 10 years in office till 1989.
Apart from Birla, several names were doing the rounds for the post of Speaker: D Purandeswari, Bhartuhari Mahtab, both had come to BJP from other parties. Former union ministers Radha Mohan Singh, a seven-time BJP MP, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Anurag Thakur names are also on rounds.