The INDIA bloc Tuesday alleged the ruling National Democratic Alliance of breaking the tradition and allotted the Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker's role to the opposition, leading to a situation that it nominated Congress leader K Suresh for the Speaker's position, pitting him against Om Birla. Congress leader K C Venugopal and DMK's T R Baalu walked out of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's office on Tuesday. They refused support to NDA candidate Birla since they were not offered the Deputy Speaker's role.
Venugopal said the BJP was not ready to promise the Deputy Speaker's post to the opposition. The opposition leaders insistence comes a day after union ministers Amit Shah, J P Nadda, and Singh, met leaders of the opposition parties to explain them the ruling alliance's stand on the election of the Rajya Sabha Deputy Speaker, but seemed to get no positive response. Though union ministers Piyush Goyal and Lalan Singh charged the Congress with laying conditionalities and said that the ruling alliance was willing to discuss their demand, a day when the Deputy Speaker's election is held.
Sources said more than 10 sets of nominations were filed in support of the candidature of Birla, proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and seconded by Union ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and J.P. Nadda, besides BJP allies like TDP, JD(U), JD(S) and LJP(R). On the other hand, three sets of nominations were filed in support of Suresh, a Dalit leader and eight-term MP.
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