The twenty BJD MPs from Odisha will support the candidature of senior BJP member Sumitra Mahajan for the post of Speaker of the lok Sabha. This was announced by BJD Parliamentary Party leader in lok Sabha Bhartruhari Mahtab in New Delhi on Thursday. Mahtab would be one of the proposers for Mahajan’s candidature.
There are reports that since the BJP doesn’t have the requisite numbers in the Rajya Sabha, it would have to fall back either on the AIADMK or the BJD or both to pass the NDA Government’s Bills in the Upper House and is, therefore, contemplating to offer one of these two parties the post of Deputy Speaker in the lok Sabha.
Although the BJD’s leadership is not willing to come out in the open on these issues, it is apparent that it has informally joined the ranks of the NDA.