Kodikunnil Suresh of the Congress has filed his nomination for the Lok Sabha Speaker position as the INDIA bloc candidate. This marks the first time in thirty years that the Speaker’s post will be contested. The NDA has fielded Om Birla as its candidate.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi mentioned that the Opposition is willing to support the government’s choice for Speaker if the Deputy Speaker’s post is given to them. However, representatives from Congress and the DMK walked out of a meeting called by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, indicating a lack of consensus on a unified candidate.
The 18th Lok Sabha’s opening session saw 262 newly-elected MPs, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, taking their oaths. The remaining 281 MPs are set to take their oaths today. Key leaders expected to take their oaths include Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, Mahua Moitra, Supriya Sule, and Kanimozhi. The Speaker election is scheduled for Wednesday.
The session began with tension, as Prime Minister Modi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge exchanged sharp remarks regarding the Emergency imposed in 1975. Opposition MPs staged a protest within the Parliament complex, emphasizing the need to “save democracy.”
12:33 PM: Rahul Gandhi criticized Prime Minister Modi for not responding to their demand for the Deputy Speaker post, despite earlier promises. He stated that while the Prime Minister speaks of constructive cooperation, his actions do not align.
12:26 PM: Kodikunnil Suresh officially filed his nomination for the Speaker post. Congress leader K.C. Venugopal accused the government of being non-committal about giving the Deputy Speaker post to the Opposition.
11:54 AM: Rahul Gandhi reiterated that the Opposition is willing to support the government’s Speaker candidate if the Deputy Speaker’s post is offered to them. He noted the lack of follow-up from Rajnath Singh on this demand.
11:42 AM: Congress MP K. Suresh emphasized the need for the Speaker to be elected unanimously and accused the BJP of failing to seek a consensus.
11:16 AM: Rahul Gandhi confirmed the Opposition’s conditional support for the Speaker’s choice based on the allocation of the Deputy Speaker post.
10:51 AM: Rajnath Singh has been reaching out to Opposition leaders to build consensus for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker positions.
09:23 AM: On the anniversary of the Emergency, BJP leaders criticized Congress for its past actions, highlighting the party’s history of undermining democracy.
The ongoing session promises to be eventful, with significant discussions and decisions expected in the coming days
