Bringing the tradition followed by Vajapayee government in the era of coalition politics by offering Lok Sabha speaker post to the second largest party within the ruling alliance, opposition parties are attempting to provoke a rift on the issue within the NDA alliance.

In this regard, supporters of two major constituents of the NDA, TDP and JD(U), who are having a large number of MPs after BJP, initially expected that BJP may offer Speaker post to their MP, as BJP itself is not having absolute majority in the Lok Sabha.

However, BJP is not showing any sign of offering `respectable positions’ to its alliance parties.  That was demonstrated in cabinet formation and allocation of portfolios. Though JD(U) openly said that they will abide by BJP’s decision in this regard, TDP is yet to reveal its stand.

The election to the Speaker’s post will take place on June 26, two days after the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha gets underway. A Pro-tem Speaker will preside over the proceedings of the House until a new Speaker is elected.

Opposition INDIA bloc’s constituents, the Congress and the AAP, suggest that the JD(U) and the TDP must push for their nominee as the new Lok Sabha Speaker. Sanjay Routh, Shiv Sena (Uddhav) openly offered support of INDIA block, if the TDP fields its candidate as Speaker.

However, the JD(U) said Saturday it will support any candidate chosen by the BJP for this crucial post. “What Congress is doing is diversion. It is uncalled for. It is a convention that the largest party in the ruling coalition takes a call on the Speaker. Whatever decision the BJP takes, we will support it,” JD(U) national general secretary K C Tyagi said.

But, TDP diplomatically said that “an NDA candidate” will be the Speaker. “The NDA partners will sit together and decide who our candidate for the Speaker is going to be. Once a consensus is reached, we will field that candidate and all partners, including the TDP, will support the candidate,” TDP national spokesperson Pattabhi Ram Kommareddy said.

Kommareddy refrained from making any comments on whether the TDP is rooting for its nominee to become the Lok Sabha Speaker. A TDP source, however,said that the party has not “ruled out this option”. “Like all partners we have a say in selecting the candidate for the Speaker’s post,” the source said.

Senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot cautioned that if the BJP keeps the Speaker’s post, its alliance partners TDP and JD(U) should be prepared to witness “horse-trading of their MPs”.