NDA nominee Om Birla was elected Speaker of the Lok Sabha for a second consecutive term by voice vote on Wednesday, facing a challenge from the Opposition-backed candidate, K Suresh.
A few minutes later, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi was granted the position of Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, a status the Lower House has not witnessed for two terms, as the Congress had previously failed to secure enough seats to be accorded the LoP status.
Both sides, Treasury and Opposition benches had reasons for celebrations on Wednesday and in this milieu the rare occasion on the Floor of Parliament was noticed when Birla, Rahul and Prime Minister Narendra Modi exchanged greetings among each other.
While the constitution of the 18th Lok Sabha was completed on Wednesday, President Droupadi Murmu is scheduled to address the joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament on Thursday and both — the Lok Sabha and the Ràjya Sabha — will begin proceedings during the day.
After fighting the Speaker’s election, the Congress-led INDIA Bloc is now turning its attention to put pressure on Birla to announce the schedule for election of Deputy Speaker, which remained vacant for five years in the previous years.
As a first step, sources said, there are plans to submit a “joint letter” to the Speaker asking him to immediately initiate the process for election of Deputy Speaker, a Constitutional position.
Modi, who moved the motion for Birla’s election as Speaker, lauded the balance he showed in maintaining decorum of the House during his previous term.
Several Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, congratulated Birla too, stressing on “impartiality” and hoping he would allow them to raise the voice of the people and not apply his restraint orders only to Opposition benches.
Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab made the announcement of Birla’s election after the Opposition, which had forwarded the the name of eight-term Congress MP Kodikunnil Suresh as its candidate, did not press for votes to the motion.
This is the fifth time that a Speaker will serve beyond the tenure of one Lok Sabha. It is also among the few occasions that an election became necessary for a post conventionally decided by consensus.
As he assumed charge, Birla read out a resolution condemning the Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975 and asked members to observe a moment’s silence, triggering a wave of protests by the Opposition.
His first day in the chair saw the House being adjourned. While Opposition members vociferously protested inside, BJP members held a demonstration outside Parliament House, raising slogans and demanding an apology from the Congress for the Emergency.
Birla on his first duty recognised Rahul as the Leader of Opposition on Wednesday, a day after the Congress communicated its decision to name him for the position to the Lok Sabha Secretariat.
In a notification issued on Wednesday, the Lok Sabha Secretariat said Rahul Gandhi, leader of the Indian National Congress, had officially been recognised as the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha with effect from June 9.
Earlier in the morning, after the election, the prime minister and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi escorted Birla to the Speaker’s chair.
In his address, the first in the 18th Lok Sabha, Modi said Birla’s work as a parliamentarian should be an inspiration for new Lok Sabha members.
Congratulating Birla, Rahul Gandhi said the opposition wanted the House to function “often and well” and added that it was very important that cooperation happens with trust. “The opposition would like to assist you in your work. I am confident you will allow us to speak in the House,” he said.
Rahul Gandhi also pointed out that the opposition this time represents significantly more voices of the Indian people than last time. Samajwadi Party chief Yadav hoped that actions like suspension of MPs would not be taken as they hurt the dignity of the House.
Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay and DMK leader T R Baalu echoed the sentiment.
Bandyopadhyay said the functioning of the House always depends on the attitude of the treasury benches.
Birla, 61, the BJP’s MP from Kota, has risen through the ranks of the party. He is a third-term MP from Kota in Rajasthan and been a member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly thrice.
“Treasury and opposition benches run the House together, the strength of Indian democracy is in listening to everyone, and running the House with everyone’s agreement. I will expect that I run the House with everyone’s agreement. Even if there is lone member from a party, they should get sufficient time,” Birla said.
With the NDA having 293 MPs in its kitty and the INDIA bloc 233 in the Lok Sabha, the numbers were clearly in favour of Birla. The Lok Sabha currently has 542 members after Rahul Gandhi resigned from one of the two seats he was elected from. At least three independent members also support the opposition.
Balram Jakhar is the only presiding officer to have served two complete terms extending seventh and eighth Lok Sabha.
Rahul Gandhi, who earlier in the day joined Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju in escorting the newly-elected Birla to the speaker’s chair, thanked Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for his appointment to the role.
AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi meanwhile said, “The character of the House has changed and BJP won’t be able to steamroll... I hope that the government will lessen your burden by electing a Deputy speaker.”
Similar concerns were expressed by Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP Amraam, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Arvind Sawant, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) MP Supriya Sule, RSP MP N K Premchandran. All of them hoped that the opposition’s voice will not be crushed.
