Lok Sabha Speaker election: Kodikunnil Suresh of Congress files nomination as INDIA bloc candidate

Kodikunnil Suresh of Congress files nomination as INDIA bloc candidate for Lok Sabha Speaker nomination: Opposition accuses govt of non-commitment to their choice of Deputy Speaker post

Kodikunnil Suresh of the Congress on June 25 filed the nomination for the post of Lok Sabha speaker as the INDIA bloc candidate.

Congress leader K.C. Venugopal said the Opposition will contest Speaker’s election and accused the govt of being non-committal on giving Deputy Speaker’s post to the Opposition.

Senior Cabinet Minister Rajnath Singh had reached out to the Opposition leaders on behalf of the government in a bid to build consensus for the post of Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Lower House of Parliament. But, Mr. Venugopal and DMK’s T.R. Baalu walked out of Rajnath Singh’s office, refusing to endorse the NDA’s nominee for the Speaker’s post.

Earlier in the day, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the Opposition will support the government on the Lok Sabha Speaker’s choice if the convention is followed and the Deputy Speaker’s post is given to the Opposition bloc.

He also said that Mr. Singh was yet to get back to them on the Opposition’s demand for the Deputy Speaker’s post.

Mr. Gandhi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants constructive cooperation but has not returned party president Mallikarjun Kharge’s call on the demand, as promised, which amounts to an insult.

“The entire Opposition has said that they will support the government on the Speaker’s post, but the convention is that the post of Deputy Speaker is given to the Opposition,” he said.