In a significant political move, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has announced its support for Congress MP K Suresh in the upcoming Speaker election. This election marks a pivotal moment in parliamentary history, as opposition parties unite to challenge the ruling party's candidate. Congress MP K Suresh clarified the Trinamool Congress' (TMC) position on the I.N.D.I.A bloc's nomination for the Lok Sabha Speaker post, stating that TMC leaders will support the opposition alliance after a meeting resolved misunderstandings.
Meeting resolves dispute
TMC leaders Derek O'Brien and Kalyan Banerjee attended a meeting at Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge's residence on Tuesday evening. "Everything cleared up yesterday evening. Their leaders attended the I.N.D.I.A Alliance meeting and understood the situation," Suresh told ANI.
TMC's initial disappointment
TMC had initially expressed disappointment over the Congress' nomination of K Suresh, with TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee stating that the party was "not consulted" and termed it a "unilateral decision."
Election and historical significance
The Speaker election in the Lok Sabha, set for June 26, will feature K Suresh and Om Birla as candidates. Suresh, the longest-serving parliamentarian in the 18th Lok Sabha with 29 years as an MP, is backed by the opposition alliance.
Numbers game
The NDA holds the support of 297 MPs in the Lok Sabha, while the INDIA bloc, with potential TMC backing, would have 263 MPs. If TMC aligns with the opposition, their numbers would rise significantly.
Historical precedent
This election marks only the third time in Parliament's history that a Lok Sabha Speaker is chosen by election, following contests in 1952 and 1976. Traditionally, Speakers and Deputy Speakers were elected through consensus between the ruling party and the Opposition. The current stand-off began after the NDA refused to allot the Deputy Speaker position to an I.N.D.I.A. bloc candidate in exchange for backing Birla.
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