The Hindu : PM to consult allies on Speaker nominee

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 06, 2002

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PM to consult allies on Speaker nominee

By Our Special Correspondent

New Delhi May 5. The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, is to hold consultations with the National Democratic Alliance before finalising the next possible Speaker of the Lok Sabha, now that the Telugu Desam Party has declared that it is not interested in staking its claim to the post held by the late G.M.C. Balayogi. Mr. Vajpayee is also likely to go through the motion of consulting the Opposition parties, with a view to having a "consensus'' candidate.

The election for the Speaker's post is scheduled for May 10, and there is no indication that the Opposition parties are thinking in terms of putting up a nominal fight.

Though for the record the BJP leadership has expressed disappointment over the TDP decision, the party sees this as an opportunity to get someone who would be mindful of the BJP's political interests elected as Speaker. Barring unforeseen developments, the post is likely to go to a BJP nominee, though there is a suggestion that the Railway Minister, Nitish Kumar, would make a competent Speaker.

On the other hand, three names from the BJP side are doing the rounds.

Among those being mentioned are the two Union Ministers, Jagmohan and Ram Naik, and the party's parliamentary spokesman, Vijay Malhotra, who is also among the seniormost parliamentarians. The final consultation among the party's big names in this matter — Mr. Vajpayee, L.K. Advani and Pramod Mahajan — is yet to take place.

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