Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh failed to give an assurance on the opposition party’s claim to the Deputy Speaker's post.
While elections to the Speaker's post were common before Independence, the position of the presiding officer of the Lok Sabha has witnessed contests only thrice in Independent India – in 1952, 1967 and 1976. Congress member Kodikunnil Suresh has been nominated as the opposition candidate, challenging the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominee Om Birla. This development follows Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's criticism of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for failing to assure the opposition of the Deputy Speaker's post.
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