Lok Sabha Speaker Election: Opposition also fielded a candidate, then why did they not insist on voting, Congress explained

New Delhi: NDA candidate Om Birla has been elected Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha. He was also the Speaker in the 17th Lok Sabha. When the Lok Sabha proceedings began on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed Om Birla's name for the post of Speaker. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh supported it. Later the proposal was passed by voice vote. During this, the opposition did not insist on division of votes even though it had made K Suresh its candidate for the post of Speaker. An attempt has been made by the Congress to explain why the opposition did so. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that the 'Bharat' alliance did not insist on division of votes to promote the spirit of consensus and cooperation.

“The For India Alliance parties exercised their democratic right and moved a resolution to support Kodikunnil Suresh as Lok Sabha speaker. It was taken to a voice vote. After that, the Alliance parties could have insisted on a division. They did not do so. This was because they wanted a spirit of consensus and cooperation to prevail, a spirit that is completely missing in the actions of the Prime Minister and the NDA,” he said in a post on X.

In his first speech as the Leader of Opposition in the 18th Lok Sabha, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi congratulated Om Birla on his re-election. Gandhi emphasised the important role of the Lok Sabha Speaker as the “final arbiter of the voice of the people”. He said that in this Lok Sabha, the opposition represents that voice to a much greater extent than in the previous 17th Lok Sabha. He also promised the opposition's support to the Speaker to ensure smooth functioning of the House.

Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav also congratulated Om Birla on being elected Speaker. Yadav expressed hope that the Speaker will have control not only over the opposition but also over the ruling party.