BJP wants to keep Speaker post

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party wants to keep the Speaker's position in the 18th Lok Sabha after winning 240 seats in the recent general election. The party is considering offering the Deputy Speaker's post to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies.

Union Defence Minister and senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh has been assigned the responsibility of negotiating with the NDA allies, such as the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and Telugu Desam Party (TDP), regarding the crucial parliamentary role that ensures smooth proceedings.

The Lok Sabha is scheduled to elect its new Speaker on June 26, with notices for motions supporting candidates due by noon the previous day, per the Lok Sabha secretariat. Amid speculation, sources indicate that the INDIA bloc may propose a candidate for the Speaker if the Deputy Speaker position isn't allocated to their group. Addressing reports of demands from NDA partners like TDP and JD(U) for the Speaker's post, a senior party leader clarified that internal discussions would precede consultations with allies to ensure consensus.

Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu's TDP has emphasized the need for NDA partners to agree on a consensus candidate for the Lok Sabha Speaker. In contrast, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar's JD(U) has pledged its support to the BJP's choice. JD(U) leader KC Tyagi affirmed that both parties, TDP and JD(U), being part of the NDA, will endorse the BJP's nominee for the Speaker's post.