Opposition Fields K Suresh for LS Speaker Post, Rahul Gandhi Says Govt Didn't Agree to Demands

Congress MP Kodikunnil Suresh from Kerala has been nominated as the opposition candidate for the Lok Sabha Speaker post.

On Tuesday, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said in the Parliament premises that Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had contacted the opposition to discuss the Lok Sabha Speaker position.

He said that the opposition was willing to support the ruling party for the Lok Sabha Speaker position. "We had talked to everyone. The entire opposition said that we would support the candidate for the Lok Sabha Speaker position, but the condition was that the Deputy Speaker position should be given to the opposition," Rahul Gandhi said.

This has been the tradition, and it happened in previous governments as well, he added.

Rahul Gandhi said that this was conveyed to Rajnath Singh and he said that he would call Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge regarding this subject but no call has come since.

He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the opposition should constructively support the government. However, Rajnath Singh not calling Mallikarjun Kharge "is an insult to our leader."

"Their intentions are not clear. PM Modi does not want any constructive cooperation. The Deputy Speaker position should have gone to the opposition," said the Raebareli MP.

Stressing that the Prime Minister does not follow what he says, Rahul Gandhi said this is their formula and their strategy. He said that the Prime Minister's words have "no meaning."

Meanwhile, after meeting Rajnath Singh in Parliament, Congress leader K.C. Venugopal said, "The government is saying that they will consider the Deputy Speaker position later while asking to sign the nomination form for the Speaker position now. The opposition does not agree to this. Hence, we are fielding our candidate for the Lok Sabha Speaker position."