The Aam Aadmi Party-led Government in the Capital is unlikely to have an easy sailing in Delhi Assembly. The Bharatiya Janata Party is all set to throw a monkey wrench in the work of AAP by contesting for the post of the Speaker. With the AAP keen on fielding its candidate for the key post and the Congress keeping its fingers crossed, the BJP, in all likelihood, might grab the chair given the division of votes by the two parties. Also, with 32 MlAs, BJP has the maximum strength in the 70-member House. Sources said BJP might field five-time MlA and former Finance Minister of Delhi, Jagdish Mukhi or Sahab Singh Chauhan for the Speaker’s post.
Delhi BJP president Vijay Goel said the BJP, unlike previous occasions, was serious on contesting for the Speaker’s post. “We will announce our candidate before the first Session of the newly formed Assembly begins. The BJP has potent chances of having its Speaker in the House,” Goel said. The BJP will be banking heavily on the Congress’ move with regards to the Speaker’s election. If the Congress decides to field its candidate separately with the AAP candidate, the BJP will have its way on the basis of simple majority. The Congress, which is supporting the AAP from outside with its eight MlAs, has so far been silent over supporting the AAP for Speaker’s election. Sources said the Congress party could also claim the post in lieu of its support to the Government.
The Aam Aadmi Party, on the other hand, might project its MlA from Timarpur Professor Harish Khanna for the Speaker’s post while its Sikh face Jarnail Singh is likely to be the candidate for the Deputy Speaker’s post. Possibilities are high that lone JD(U) MlA Shoaib Iqbal might also be projected as the Speaker of the House by AAP as a mark of representation of the Muslim community. As BJP leaders said the Congress has not offered its support to AAP over the election of Speaker. In such a case, the BJP will easily manage to get the numbers to get a BJP nominee elected as the speaker.
The Speaker’s role in the Assembly has great significance as he not only presides over the functioning of the House but also decides on the issues and agenda to be taken up in the House meetings. Further, if the Congress withdraws support from the AAP and smaller factions switch to the BJP, it will be the Speaker who will decide the maintainability of the Anti-Defection law on these legislators. In such a case, it would come handy for the BJP to form a Government in future.
It is noteworthy that the election of the new Speaker will be held before the AAP Government proves its majority on the floor of the House. The Speaker is elected by a simple majority in the House. A pro-tem Speaker, appointed by the lieutenant-Governor, presides over the election. BJP’s Jagdish Mukhi, being the seniormost member of the House, will be appointed the pro-tem Speaker.