Five-time MlA from Matia Mahal Assembly seat Shoaib Iqbal is the front-runner for the Speaker’s post in the newly-constituted fifth Assembly. Iqbal, who carries a reputation of changing parties to suit his political interests, has really gone to town to profess his support for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The lone MlA who won on the ticket of Janata Dal-United (JD-U) has offered unconditional support to the AAP Government.
The reported closeness between Iqbal and Kejriwal is apparently against the stand of the AAP as party leaders, including Kejriwal has been vocal against people with dubious background joining politics.
The MlA from Matia Mahal carries a controversial past as he has been at loggerheads with the previous Government and Municipal Corporation. He is often seen as a leader who patronises builders in the Walled City area. The AAP floor managers want a senior legislator at the helm as that would help in managing the affairs in the Assembly. Sources said on Wednesday that Shoaib Iqbal, who had served as the Deputy Speaker during Sheila Diskhit’s second term as Chief Minister, fits the bill.
There is no representation from the Minority Community in the Council of Ministers hence, anointing Iqbal as the Speaker will spare the AAP’s blushes. It will be for the first time that a Government in Delhi will not have the representation from the Minority Community.
Even Madan lal Khurana, Sahib Singh Verma and Sushma Swaraj’s Governments from 1993-1998 had Harsharan Singh Balli as a Minister. Sheila Dikshit went a step ahead and had Haroon Yusuf and Arvinder Singh lovely as Ministers. The Cabinet announced by Kejriwal has members from other communities, but there are none from the Minority.
This is being felt among the AAP leadership and the idea to have Shoaib Iqbal as the Speaker and Jarnail Singh, who won from Tilak Nagar seat, as the Deputy Speaker will serve a dual purpose.
This will enable the party to counter the principal Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Minority card, sources said. Political analysts feel that the Congress too will be in a bind to question the appointment of Shoaib Iqbal as the Speaker as he comes from the Muslim community.