INDIA Bloc Leaders Meet at Mallikarjun Kharge’s Residence to Discuss Lok Sabha Speaker Election
The opposition INDIA bloc held a meeting at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi on Tuesday. This meeting was part of the second day of the inaugural session of the 18th Lok Sabha. The main agenda was to strategize for the upcoming election of the Speaker.
Key Attendees
Important figures at the meeting included:
- Congress MPs Rahul Gandhi and KC Venugopal
- President of the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party, Hanuman Beniwal
- Other leaders of the INDIA bloc
Speaker Election
The INDIA bloc has nominated K Suresh, an 8-time MP, for the Speaker position. The ruling NDA has nominated Om Birla, who served as the Speaker in the 17th Lok Sabha. Traditionally, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker are elected by consensus between the ruling party and the opposition.
Historical Context
The election for the post of Speaker has occurred at least twice in India’s parliamentary history. The first instance was in 1952, and the second was in 1976.
Opposition’s Stand
Rahul Gandhi mentioned that the opposition is willing to support the NDA’s Speaker candidate if the Deputy Speaker position is given to the opposition. However, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee expressed dissatisfaction, stating that his party was not consulted on K Suresh’s nomination.
Upcoming Events
The Lok Sabha Speaker election will take place on Wednesday. On June 27, President Murmu is scheduled to address a joint sitting of both houses of Parliament.
About K Suresh
K Suresh is currently the longest-serving Lok Sabha MP, having been elected for 29 years. He is the working president of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) and was the chief whip of the Congress Parliamentary Party in the 17th Lok Sabha.
