Union Minister Rajnath Singh spearheaded the ruling National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) initiative on Tuesday to engage with opposition parties to reach a consensus on selecting the Lok Sabha Speaker. The NDA’s candidate for this important parliamentary role is set to file their nomination on Tuesday, which is the scheduled day for the nomination process. While there is a possibility of a nomination being filed for the deputy speaker’s position, this will depend on various factors, including the stance of the opposition.
Sources indicate that the opposition INDIA bloc is unlikely to contest the Lok Sabha Speaker’s post, making it likely that the NDA nominee will be elected unopposed. However, the opposition has demanded the right to choose the deputy speaker. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh contacted Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge late Monday night to seek the opposition’s support on the Speaker’s issue. Despite this outreach, Singh did not provide any assurances to the opposition regarding their demand for the deputy speaker’s post.
In the previous tenure, there was no deputy speaker, which has added to the opposition’s insistence on having a say in this role. Besides reaching out to Kharge, Singh also engaged with DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Stalin, along with other opposition leaders, in an effort to build consensus. The NDA, holding a clear majority in the Lok Sabha, has been strategic in revealing little about its candidate choice to avoid giving the opposition any opportunity to launch a political attack.
A section of NDA leaders, emphasizing continuity since their return to power for a third term, believe that Om Birla, the Speaker in the previous Lok Sabha, might be nominated again. However, there has been no official confirmation of this possibility. The NDA’s approach reflects its cautious strategy to maintain unity and avoid any contentious political debates that could arise from the opposition’s demands.
As the nomination process unfolds, the NDA’s engagement with the opposition highlights a rare moment of attempted political unity, even as the dynamics of parliamentary roles and party interests continue to shape the interactions. The decision on the deputy speaker’s position remains uncertain, contingent on further negotiations and the opposition’s response to the NDA’s candidate for Speaker.
Overall, the efforts by Rajnath Singh and the NDA to build consensus with the opposition underscore the complex and strategic nature of parliamentary politics in India, where majority power, opposition demands, and individual leadership choices all play critical roles in shaping the outcomes of key parliamentary positions.
