Sayeed to be Deputy Speaker
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Dec 11 — Confronted with stiff opposition to its candidate for the post of the Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker from within its allies, the BJP-led coalition government today decided to withdraw from the contest paving the way for the unanimous election of the Congress candidate, Mr P.M. Sayeed, to the post.

While Mr P.M. Sayeed described the consensus on his name as a "victory of conventions", the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr Madan Lal Khurana, said the government had decided to respond positively to the Congress party’s request.

Briefing newspersons after a meeting of leaders of the BJP and all alliance and supporting parties chaired by the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee this afternoon, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr Madan Lal Khurana, said it was decided at the meeting that the government should "respond positively to the Congress party’s request that the principal opposition party’s candidate should be accepted as the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha".

Mr Vajpayee conveyed to the leaders at the meeting that the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Mr Sharad Pawar, accompanied by Mr Shiv Shankar and Mr Ajit Jogi met him this morning and urged the government to accept the main opposition party’s candidate for the post of the Deputy Speaker, Mr Khurana said adding that after a brief discussion and it was unanimously decided to accept the opposition party’s proposal.

The meeting was attended by 21 leaders of the alliance and allied parties, Mr Khurana said.

When asked whether the BJP has decided to withdraw its candidate, Mrs Rita Verma, under pressure from its allies, Mr Khurana strongly denied that there was any pressure and asserted that it was an unanimous decision.

Even earlier, the allies and alliance partners had authorised the Prime Minister to decide about the government’s candidate and now we have unanimously decided to accept the main opposition party’s request," Mr Khurana said defending the decision.

Later, the Trinamool Congress leader, Ms Mamata Banerjee had asked the government to get the Deputy Speaker’s election postponed till the next session with a promise to evolve a consensus on the issue, he said.

Mr Sayeed, when asked if the government’s decision meant a "defeat" for the BJP, said that he "would not call it a defeat for any one but victory of conventions".