NDA may enter Speakership race

George Fernandes hints at Opposition alliance fielding a candidate against Somnath Chatterjee

The appointment of a Speaker in the new Lok Sabha is threatening to snowball into a confrontation between the ruling and Opposition alliances.

An election for the post, which in the past has almost always been decided by consensus, is not being ruled out.

In fact, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has indicated that it may field a candidate for the post to take on CPI(M) veteran Somnath Chatterjee.

At a press conference, NDA Convenor George Fernandes said the Opposition parties had not so far been consulted on the issue of speakership and that the choice for the post was unlikely to be unanimous.

"No one talked to us about the post of the Speaker. The NDA is meeting on Tuesday and will apply its mind to the issue," Fernandes said.

Both the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) have agreed that as per the rules of the Lok Sabha, Chatterjee must be the pro tem Speaker.

The pro tem Speaker, who is always the seniormost MP in the House, will deliver the oath to the new MPs.

However, Chatterjee's elevation to the Speaker's post is not likely going to be a smooth affair.

In the Lok Sabha, where the difference between the strength of the Congress and the BJP is just seven MPs, and where the Mulayam Singh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party (SP) has 36 MPs, who are not beyond strategic voting, the Speaker's post is crucial to running the House.

There have been suggestions that former Speaker and Nationalist Trinamool Congress MP from Tura PA Sangma be fielded as the NDA's candidate for the job. However, Fernandes today said that nothing had been decided.

The ruling alliance and the Opposition also have to decide on a candidate for the deputy Speaker's post. While the ruling alliance has proposed that the post go to an MP from the Vaiko-led MDMK, reflecting the dominance of Tamil Nadu in the new government, the Shiv Sena has already laid claim to the post.

The same controversy is likely to arise in the Rajya Sabha around July-August, as preparations will begin to replace Deputy Chairman Najma Heptullah, who is scheduled to retire.

The deputy chairman could be from the UPA because the Chairman, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, is from the NDA.

But, given the rapidly changing configuration of the Rajya Sabha, where the NDA is in the majority at present, it is hard to say what the Upper House will look like after the next two months.