Dy speaker post may go to AIADMK

AIADMK leader M Thambidurai is tipped to be the front-runner for the post of the Lok Sabha deputy speaker, elections for which are next week. “The election for deputy speaker will be held next week,” said Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu.

As per convention, the post of Speaker goes to the ruling party, while the deputy speaker is from Opposition ranks. However, as the Opposition is splintered in the 16th Lok Sabha, the NDA is mulling over offering the post to a non-Congress party.

The NDA, while maintaining that the deputy speaker would be from Opposition ranks, has not specified a party for the post. The Congress is the second largest party in the Lok Sabha with 44 members, followed by the AIADMK (37), the Trinamool Congress (34) and BJD (20).

The proposal to elect the deputy speaker could be moved by Modi and seconded by leaders of the Akali Dal, the TDP and Shiv Sena. Parliamentary sources had discounted reports in a section of the media that Thambidurai may have to give up his post of AIADMK propaganda secretary.