Rahul Gandhi will support Modi govt’s choice for Lok Sabha Speaker post if…

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday extended an offer to the Narendra Modi-led NDA government over the Lok Sabha speaker post in the Parliament session. He agreed to support the Centre's Speaker choice if the deputy speaker post is given to the opposition alliance INDIA bloc.

“We have said to Rajnath Singh that we will support their Speaker (candidate) but the convention is that the post of Deputy Speaker to be given to opposition...,” Gandhi told media persons outside the House today.

“Today it is written in the newspaper that PM Modi has said that the Opposition should cooperate with the government constructively. Rajnath Singh called Mallikarjun Kharge and he asked him to extend support to the Speaker,” he said.

The Opposition said it would support the Speaker on the condition of the Deputy Speaker's post in the INDIA bloc's pocket, the Congress leader said, adding that, “Rajnath Singh said that he would call back Mallikarjun Kharge but he has not done that yet...PM Modi is asking for cooperation from Opposition but our leader is getting insulted..”

On the other hand, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav also said, “Everything will be out soon... The demand of the Opposition was that the Deputy Speaker (of the Lok Sabha) should be of the Opposition... Our party's opinion is also the same...”

Separately, Kota MP Om Birla met Prime Minister Narendra Modi amid indications that he could be fielded for the post of Lok Sabha speaker, a position he held in the previous House.

Several NDA sources said Birla is likely to be their candidate for the Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha.

The opposition, sources said, may not name its own candidate, letting the NDA nominee to get elected unopposed. There is a view that the opposition may get the Deputy Speaker's position

By retaining the Kota seat in Rajasthan, Birla has become the first presiding officer to be re-elected to the Lower House in the last 20 years.

(With inputs from agencies)