NDA vs INDIA Bloc: Battle Over Pro-Tem Speaker Heats Up

Ahead of the 18th Lok Sabha session, a dispute emerged between the NDA government and the INDIA bloc over the appointment of Pro-tem Speaker. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju accused Congress of misleading claims, while opposition leaders threatened to boycott the panel assisting Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab.

As the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha approaches, tensions have flared between the NDA government and the INDIA bloc over the appointment of the Pro-tem Speaker. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has accused Congress of resorting to misinformation, amid threats from opposition leaders to boycott the panel assisting newly-appointed Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab.

President Droupadi Murmu appointed BJP stalwart Bhartruhari Mahtab as Pro-tem Speaker, tasked with administering the oath to new members and overseeing the Speaker's election. Opposition claims that the appointment violated norms, disregarding eight-term Congress member K Suresh's seniority, were labeled as misleading by Rijiju.

The appointment has sparked allegations of political bias and attempts to undermine parliamentary norms. Opposition figures, including CPI's D Raja and Shiv Sena's Aditya Thackeray, have criticized the decision, highlighting the ongoing struggle to uphold democratic values and constitutional processes.