26 Jun. 24: For the first time in nearly three decades, the Lok Sabha is poised for an election to the Speaker’s post. This development is fueled by the unwavering stance of the Narendra Modi government and the reinvigorated Opposition’s readiness for confrontation.
The INDIA bloc has put forward the Congress’s eight-term Dalit MP, Kodikunnil Suresh, to challenge the NDA’s Om Birla, creating a contest that promises to heighten tensions between the Treasury and Opposition benches.
Typically, the selection of the Lok Sabha Speaker has been a unanimous process, with the ruling side’s candidate endorsed by both benches. The last contested election occurred in 1998 between the NDA’s G.M.C. Balayogi and the Opposition’s P.A. Sangma.
The Modi-led NDA government’s refusal to show any signs of vulnerability, despite the BJP not having a majority, and the support of key allies like the TDP and the JDU, has led the Opposition to take a stand. The INDIA bloc decided to field their candidate after the government dismissed their proposal to concede the Deputy Speaker’s post, a common parliamentary practice.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh emphasized that their offer, aligned with parliamentary traditions, was straightforward: support the BJP candidate for Speaker in exchange for the deputy Speaker’s post. However, the government’s counter-offer to discuss the deputy Speaker’s position later was deemed unacceptable by the Opposition.
Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju accused the Opposition of attempting to dictate terms, stating that the roles of Speaker and Deputy Speaker should not be subject to negotiations.
During the past two terms, the Modi administration had not granted the Deputy Speaker’s post to the Opposition. The post remained vacant throughout the 17th Lok Sabha, and in 2014, it was given to the AIADMK, a friendly Opposition party. The government now seems intent on assigning the post to an ally, though not immediately.
Rahul Gandhi indicated that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had sought Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s support for the Speaker’s election, but no follow-up occurred. Subsequently, Modi met with former Speaker Om Birla, and it was confirmed that Birla would be the NDA’s candidate. The Opposition quickly responded by nominating Suresh, supported by INDIA bloc members like the DMK, Samajwadi Party, and the NCP.
A critical conversation between Rahul Gandhi and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee led to the Trinamool Congress participating in the INDIA bloc meeting. However, Trinamool has yet to decide its voting stance.
The Speaker’s election will feature motions from both sides, starting with a voice vote and potentially followed by a division if the Opposition requests it. With the NDA holding 293 seats against the Opposition’s 234, the ruling coalition is expected to prevail. Nevertheless, this contest is likely to set the stage for future confrontations between the Treasury and Opposition benches in the new Lok Sabha.
