Jigajinagi, 2 more frontrunners for LS Speaker post

With the Modi 2.0 council of ministers in place, the focus has now shifted to the election of Lok Sabha Speaker. Former Union ministers Radha Mohan Singh, Virendra Kumar and Ramesh Jigajinagi emerging as frontrunners for the key constitutional post.

While Singh, a former agriculture minister and an old RSS hand, is considered close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Virendra Kumar MP of Tikamgarh, is a seven-term member.

Jigajinagi, a former Union minister, could also emerge as a candidate, as his name was being discussed among the probables in the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry.

Eight-term Lok Sabha member and former Union minister Maneka Gandhi is tipped to be the pro-tem Speaker by virtue of her seniority among the elected members of the Lok Sabha.

President Ram Nath Kovind will appoint the Pro-tem Speaker and administer the oath of office, a few days before the 17th Lok Sabha convenes for its first session on June 17.

A senior minister indicated that the post of the Deputy Speaker would go to a "friendly opposition party” – Biju Janata Dal (BJD), with six-term Lok Sabha member Bhartruhari Mahtab being the likely candidate.

Meanwhile, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi chaired a meeting of secretaries from different ministries to finalise the legislative agenda of the new government.

Joshi said 10 lapsed ordinances and 33 pending bills in the Rajya Sabha were discussed at the meeting and the government would explore the possibility of taking it up in the first session of Parliament beginning June 17.

Of the 33 pending bills in the Rajya Sabha, nine have been referred to standing committees. The standing committee reports of 18 bills have been submitted to the secretariat.