'Destroying parliamentary norms': Congress objects to Bhartruhari Mahtab's appointment as pro-tem Speaker
'Destroying parliamentary norms': Congress objects to Bhartruhari Mahtab's appointment as pro-tem Speaker
BJP veteran Bhartruhari Mahtab, a seven-time MP, was named pro-tem Speaker of the Lok Sabha on June 20. The appointment breaks with the longstanding tradition of selecting the most senior member for the role, prompting strong reaction from the opposition Congress party.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju took to X and announced that President Droupadi Murmu has appointed Mahtab as the pro-tem Speaker and that he will be assisted by senior members K Suresh (Congress), T R Baalu (DMK), Radha Mohan Singh and Faggan Singh Kulaste (both BJP) and Sudip Bandyopadhyay (TMC).
On Rijiju's announcement, the Congress party accused the BJP-led government of "destroying parliamentary norms" by ignoring the claim of Suresh, a eight-term Lok Sabha member, to the post of the pro-tem Speaker.
"In yet another attempt at destroying parliamentary norms, Bhartruhari Mahtab, a seven-term MP, has been appointed the pro-tem Speaker, superseding Kodikunnil Suresh, who will be entering his eighth term," AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said in a post on X.
"It is an unquestioned norm that the senior most MP presides over the proceedings of the House before the Speaker is duly elected. It is a matter of immense pride for our party that K Suresh, a leader from the marginalised section of society, has achieved this feat of being eight-term MP, he added, as he questioned the government's decision to overlook K Suresh.
Congress leader Manickam Tagore said, "First mistake as Parliamentary Affairs Minister: Seven-term BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab chosen as Protem Speaker of Lok Sabha over senior-most Dalit MP Kodikunnil Suresh of Congress."
The BJP said the Congress should "relax" as the grand old party has lost the Lok Sabha elections. "You have just lost an election. Relax. Reflect on third consecutive defeat, instead of whining about everything," BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya said on X.
Mahtab, who switched sides from the BJD to the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, won the Cuttack parliamentary seat.
On June 24, the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha will commence and the newly elected members will take oath/affirmation.
The election of the Speaker is scheduled to take place on June 26.