NEW DELHI: The Congress-led opposition has not demanded vote division during the Speaker elections. Though the party maintained that it was for the sake of bipartisanship, it created the impression that the change in policy was linked to the Congress’s reluctance on the issue.
The major constituent parties of the INDIA block — SP, DMK, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP-SP — had moved a motion to nominate K Suresh as chief minister, but the TMC did not join in. When the government’s motion in favour of Om Birla came up for vote, the opposition parties abstained from voting and allowed the election to be held by oral vote.
Mamata Banerjee’s TMC had complained that it was not consulted about the elections and Suresh’s name. When the Opposition tried to persuade it, the TMC said it would convey its decision on Wednesday morning, ahead of the Speaker election. Sources said the decision to allow oral voting suggests that the TMC did not respond favourably to the splitting of votes. However, there has since been a huge confusion over the issue.
The Indian National Congress made it clear that it was not seeking a physical vote. Indian National Congress spokesman Jairam Ramesh said: “The Indian Union exercised its democratic right to nominate K Suresh for the Speaker and an oral vote was taken. India could have then pushed for a split of the vote but did not do so because India wanted an agreement to strengthen the spirit of cooperation and that is lacking in the actions of the Prime Minister and the NDA.”
However, TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee and Kalyan Banerjee told reporters that several legislators had sought votes but the caretaker speaker did not allow a split vote as the government did not have the numbers to win the election. Abhishek called it “immoral”.
Meanwhile, the Congress is unhappy with the government’s stance on the issue and is seriously considering forcing elections for the deputy speaker’s post.
However, sources said the selection process for the post will take some time after which a decision will be taken.
The major constituent parties of the INDIA block — SP, DMK, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP-SP — had moved a motion to nominate K Suresh as chief minister, but the TMC did not join in. When the government’s motion in favour of Om Birla came up for vote, the opposition parties abstained from voting and allowed the election to be held by oral vote.
Mamata Banerjee’s TMC had complained that it was not consulted about the elections and Suresh’s name. When the Opposition tried to persuade it, the TMC said it would convey its decision on Wednesday morning, ahead of the Speaker election. Sources said the decision to allow oral voting suggests that the TMC did not respond favourably to the splitting of votes. However, there has since been a huge confusion over the issue.
The Indian National Congress made it clear that it was not seeking a physical vote. Indian National Congress spokesman Jairam Ramesh said: “The Indian Union exercised its democratic right to nominate K Suresh for the Speaker and an oral vote was taken. India could have then pushed for a split of the vote but did not do so because India wanted an agreement to strengthen the spirit of cooperation and that is lacking in the actions of the Prime Minister and the NDA.”
However, TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee and Kalyan Banerjee told reporters that several legislators had sought votes but the caretaker speaker did not allow a split vote as the government did not have the numbers to win the election. Abhishek called it “immoral”.
Meanwhile, the Congress is unhappy with the government’s stance on the issue and is seriously considering forcing elections for the deputy speaker’s post.
However, sources said the selection process for the post will take some time after which a decision will be taken.
