"Government compelled us to contest election," says K Suresh, INDIA bloc speaker candidate

"The government compelled the INDIA Alliance to contest the election. We don't want to contest the election against the Speaker, but when the government approached INDIA Alliance, especially the Congress party leadership, we asked about the Deputy Speaker post. At that time, we were not given any assurance. Yesterday, too, they didn't give any assurance by 11.30 am. They said, First, you support the Speaker election, and after that, we can discuss the Deputy Speaker. So, that reply was not satisfactory. So, our leaders decided to contest the Speaker election," said K. Suresh.

"This election is the adamant stand of the NDA leadership. Otherwise, it could have been avoided. But, they are not ready to cooperate with the opposition; they are not ready to give a chance to the opposition party for the Deputy Speaker post. That is why, this election is happening today. But this election's full responsibility is the NDA leadership's," he added further.

On Tuesday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said Defence Minister and senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh had called party president Mallikarjun Kharge to reach a consensus between the two blocs, but the talks fell apart over the deputy Speaker post.

When asked about TMC's Abhishek Banerjee's "unilateral decision" remark for the INDIA bloc's candidate for the Lok Sabha Speaker post, Congress MP K. Suresh said, "Everything cleared up yesterday evening. Their leaders, Derek O'Brien and Kalyan Banerjee, attended the INDIA Alliance meeting last evening at Mallikarjun Kharge's residence. We explained the situation, they could understand it, and they would also cooperate with us."

Responding to Rahul Gandhi being elected as the LoP in the Lok Sabha, K Suresh said, "A strong opposition will be there in the 18th Lok Sabha under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi. So, we will fight against the undemocratic ways of this government."

For the first time in decades, an election for the Lok Sabha Speaker's post will take place on Wednesday due to the inability of the BJP's ruling NDA government and the Congress-led INDIA opposition to reach a consensus.

Prior to this, the election for Lok Sabha Speaker has happened only three times in past history; 1952, 1967, and 1976. Traditionally, the Lok Sabha Speaker and Deputy Speaker were elected through consensus between the ruling party and the opposition.

The contest will witness the BJP's Om Birla, an MP from Kota in Rajasthan, up against the Congress' Kodikunnil Suresh, an eight-term parliamentarian from Kerala's Mavelikara. Suresh is the longest-serving parliamentarian in the 18th Lok Sabha. (ANI)