M A I N   N E W S

Cong picks Meira for Speaker’s post
Anita Katyal
Our Political Correspondent

New Delhi, May 30
The country is all set to get its first woman Lok Sabha Speaker. Newly sworn-in Water Resources Minister and daughter of former Deputy Prime Minister and well-known Dalit leader Babu Jagjivan Ram, Meira Kumar, was picked for the prestigious post by the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) today.

After President Pratibha Patil and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress minister Meira Kumar will become the third woman in the country to hold a high and powerful office.

The candidature of Meira, a Congress MP from Sasaram in Bihar, was finalised at a lengthy meeting at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s residence, which was also attended by Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Union ministers, Pranab Mukherjee, P. Chidambaram and AK Antony.It was stated that her name was firmed up after the Congress top brass consulted all its allies. Although Kishore Chandra Deo, Congress MP from Andhra Pradesh, had been a front-runner for the post, the Congress leadership decided to field a woman instead.

Girija Vyas, former chairperson of the National Commission for Women, was also considered, but Meira pipped her to the post.The Congress evidently favoured Meira Kumar because she is a Dalit and Jagjivan Ram’s daughter and hails from Bihar where the grand old party is trying hard to revive itself.

The election for the Lok Sabha Speaker is scheduled for June 3.

PM offers Dy Speaker’s post to Oppn

New Delhi: PM Manmohan Singh today called up senior BJP leader LK Advani and offered the post of Deputy Lok Sabha Speaker to the Opposition, party sources said.

The PM called up Advani in the evening to discuss the issue of electing the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha. He is said to have offered the post of Deputy Speaker to the BJP. As per convention, the post of Deputy Speaker is given to the main opposition. BJP sources said the Parliamentary board of the party would meet tomorrow to discuss the issue of who should be the Deputy Speaker. — PTI