BJP likely to retain Speaker’s post, may give Deputy’s post to allies
The BJP is likely to retain the Speaker’s post in the 18th Lok Sabha and may allot the Deputy Speaker’s post to a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ally, sources said.
Sources said that the party high command has given the responsibility to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to build a consensus by talking to the NDA allies and opposition parties regarding the allotment of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker’s post.
The opposition parties may field a candidate for the Speaker’s post if the Deputy Speaker’s post is not given to their camp, sources said.
The first session of the Lok Sabha, with the newly appointed MPs, will commence on June 24 and conclude on July 3. The election for the Speaker’s post will begin on June 26 during the session.
Notably, in the 17th Lok Sabha, the BJP’s Om Birla was selected as the Speaker, while the deputy speaker’s office was vacant.
In the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls, the NDA secured a comfortable majority with 293 MPs, well above the required 272 in the 543-member Lower House.