Two-time Rajasthan MP Om Birla set to be Lok Sabha Speaker

NEW DELHI: Two-time BJP MP Om Birla is to be the NDA’s nominee for the Lok Sabha Speaker’s post, sources said on Tuesday. Once nominated, Birla, who won from the Kota-Bundi parliamentary seat in Rajasthan, will easily become the Speaker as the National Democratic Alliance has a clear majority in the lower House.

Om Birla at his house in New Delhi on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Manas Ranjan Bhui

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, June 18

Two-time BJP MP Om Birla is to be the NDA’s nominee for the Lok Sabha Speaker’s post, sources said on Tuesday.

A notice was given to the Lok Sabha Secretariat by the BJP, proposing the name of Birla, a two-time MP from Kota-Bundi seat in Rajasthan, for the Speaker's post and bringing a motion for his election, which will be held on Wednesday.

The election for the post is scheduled for Wednesday.

Sources said Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed 57-year-old Birla's name for the post. The Rajasthan leader is considered to be close to both Modi and BJP president Amit Shah.

Birla's surprise nomination is seen by many in the BJP as a message from the top leadership that the party will promote leaders who keep a low-profile and work at the ground-level.

Once nominated, Birla, who won from the Kota-Bundi parliamentary seat in Rajasthan, will easily become the Speaker as the National Democratic Alliance has a clear majority in the lower House.

All NDA allies, YSR Congress Party, the Biju Janata Dal and key opposition parties such as the Congress said they supported the choice.

BJD, YSRCP, JDU, Shiv Sena, Akali Dal, National People's Party, Mizo National Front, Lok Janshakti Party, AIADMK and Apna Dal have given the notice to support Birla's candidature for the Speaker's post, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi told reporters.

Later, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the party and the UPA allies have also decided to support the candidature of Birla as the Speaker. Chowdhury also said the Congress has already moved a motion supporting the ruling party candidate.

The decision to support Birla's nomination was taken at a meeting of the UPA allies, where the leaders also discussed the opposition strategy during the Parliament session.

The Opposition has not yet announced any candidate for the post while Tuesday is the last day to file nomination.

Birla, who won his first Lok Sabha election in 2014 and was re-elected from Rajasthan's Kota-Bundi seat. He defeated Congress's Ramnaraian Meena with a margin of over 2.5 lakh votes in the recently concluded general elections.

He has also been elected to Rajasthan assembly for three consecutive terms in 2003, 2008 and 2013.

Birla will succeed eight-term MP Sumitra Mahajan as the Speaker, a post traditionally held by senior MPs.

If elected, he will succeed eight-term MP Sumitra Mahajan as Lok Sabha Speaker.

Usually, seniority is considered for the Lok Sabha Speaker’s post but there have been instances when first-time and second-time lawmakers were elected to the chair.

Manohar Joshi, who was elected as Lok Sabha Speaker in 2002, was then a first-time MP.

He had succeeded GMC Balayogi, a second-time MP who died in a helicopter crash. Wth PTI