The election for the Lok Sabha Speaker is set to take place on Wednesday at 11 am, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi moving the motion to choose Om Birla for the position. This comes after a nomination from the INDIA bloc, led by Congress leader Kodikunnil Suresh.
The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha will see a formal motion by PM Modi, seconded by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, proposing Om Birla as the Speaker. Several other Union Ministers, including Lallan Singh, Jitan Ram Manjhi, Amit Shah, Chirag Paswan, HD Kumaraswamy, and Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, will also support the motion.
Traditionally, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker selections were decided through agreements between the ruling party and opposition. However, this contest features three-term MP Om Birla from Kota, Rajasthan, facing off against eight-term parliamentarian Kodikunnil Suresh, who represents Kerala’s Mavelikara and is the longest-serving member in the 18th Lok Sabha.
Both the BJP and Congress have issued three-line whips to their members, demanding their presence in the Lok Sabha from 11 am until the end of the proceedings. Given the NDA’s substantial majority of 297 MPs, Om Birla’s election appears highly probable, barring any unexpected defections or cross-voting incidents.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC), led by Mamata Banerjee, has expressed their dissatisfaction with the Congress’s choice of K Suresh as their nominee, highlighting a lack of consultation. TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee stated the decision was made unilaterally without any prior discussions.
