JD(U) and TDP Vie for Speaker's Role: Allies Assert Influence in NDA Leadership Transition

New Delhi: The Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) or JD(U) and the Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party (TDP), both crucial allies of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in forming the government in the Centre under Narendra Modi’s leadership for the third consecutive term, are pushing for the position of Lok Sabha speaker.

Expressing their desire, both the TDP and the JD(U) conveyed to the top leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (NDA’s major constituent) that the speaker’s role should be given to alliance partners, recalling TDP’s GMC Balayogi’s tenure as speaker during the coalition government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the late 1990s.

Sources familiar with the matter, as reported by The Indian Express, stated, “The intention is to safeguard the alliance partners from potential fragmentation in the future. The role of the speaker is pivotal in implementing the anti-defection law, as the timing and nature of the final decision are entirely at the discretion of the speaker.”

“The JD(U) and TDP chiefs have informally discussed the matter with some of the other allies of the BJP regarding the demand for the speaker’s position,” reported the publication, citing sources.

It remains unclear whether Naidu and Kumar officially raised the demand during the NDA meeting held today (June 5) in New Delhi.

Traditionally, the post of speaker, the constitutional and ceremonial head of the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament), is given to the ruling alliance, while the deputy speaker’s position is typically held by a member of the Opposition party.

PM Modi Submits Resignation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with his council of ministers, has submitted his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu ahead of the formation of the next Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA government.

This step will lead to the dissolution of the 17th Lok Sabha, which served from 2014 to 2019.

The President accepted the resignations and requested PM Modi and his Council of Ministers to continue their duties until the new government assumes office.

This decision came after a Cabinet meeting held in the national capital on Wednesday (June 5). Chaired by Modi, the meeting recommended the dissolution of the Cabinet, whose term ends on June 16.