Om Birla has been elected as the Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha, marking the first contested election for this role in two decades. The election was held after the BJP-led NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc couldn’t agree on the Speaker and Deputy Speaker positions.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed Om Birla’s candidacy, supported by Union minister Rajnath Singh. Efforts to reach a consensus between Rajnath Singh and Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday did not succeed.
Rahul Gandhi of the Congress stated that Kharge offered the INDIA bloc’s support for the BJP’s Speaker choice if the Deputy Speaker post went to the opposition, a proposal rejected by the BJP.
Discussions at Rajnath Singh’s office in Parliament with Congress leader KC Venugopal and DMK’s TR Baalu ended without agreement, leading Venugopal to announce K Suresh as the opposition’s candidate against Birla.
Union ministers Piyush Goyal (BJP) and Lalan Singh (Janata Dal (United)) accused the opposition of resorting to pressure tactics and setting conditions despite assurances from senior ministers.
During Birla’s election, Prime Minister Modi and Rahul Gandhi congratulated him and escorted him to the Speaker’s chair. Modi praised Birla’s experience and leadership, highlighting his record of serving as Speaker twice.
Rahul Gandhi emphasized the role of the Speaker in representing the voice of the people and expressed the opposition’s commitment to cooperation based on trust in running the House effectively.
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