Om Birla and K Suresh File Nominations for Lok Sabha Speaker; Political Maneuvering Ensues
New Delhi, 25th June 2024: Om Birla, a BJP Member of Parliament, has formally submitted his nomination for the position of Lok Sabha Speaker, representing the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the 18th Lok Sabha. At the same time, K Suresh, a Congress MP, has also filed his nomination for the Speaker’s post on behalf of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc.
In related developments, KC Venugopal and TR Baalu held discussions with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh regarding the selection of the Lok Sabha Speaker. During the meeting, Rajnath Singh briefed them about the NDA’s candidate and requested their support. However, KC Venugopal emphasized the need for a commitment regarding the Deputy Speaker’s position in exchange for their backing.
In response, the defence minister proposed a collective discussion to finalize the appointment of the Deputy Speaker. Nevertheless, Venugopal and Baalu persisted in their demand for an immediate decision.
Reacting to the situation, Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan Singh) of JDU remarked, “They are attempting to impose conditions and engage in pressure politics to govern democracy. This is not how democracy operates. Om Birla has been nominated as our candidate for the Speaker’s position.”
Meanwhile, BJP MP and Union Minister Piyush Goyal stated, “Earlier today, Rajnath Singh ji intended to discuss with Mallikarjun Kharge ji, but he was unavailable, so he suggested Venugopal ji. However, after discussions with TR Baalu and KC Venugopal ji, they reverted to their old tactic of dictating terms, insisting that the deputy Speaker must be decided first before they extend their support for the Speaker. We condemn this type of political manoeuvring.”
