Parliament session set to start from June 24; BJP's Purandeswari to be Speaker?

An eight-day session of Parliament is set to start on June 24 during which a new Lok Sabha Speaker will be elected. There is growing speculation that the post may go to Andhra Pradesh BJP chief D Purandeswari.

New members of Parliament will take oath on June 24 and 25, media reports said on Tuesday. The Speaker is likely to be elected on June 26.

Speaker’s post

One of the main tasks for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which enjoys a simple majority in the Lok Sabha, will be to elect a Speaker, a post the BJP wants to hold on to.

Media reports have suggested that both the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Janata Dal (United), which are BJP allies are eyeing the post knowing the key role the Speaker plays in the event of a split in political parties in the House.

Purandeswari front-runner?

BJP sources say Purandeswari, who has not been allotted a cabinet berth in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet, is among the front-runners for more than one reason.

Purandeswari is also the sister-in-law of TDP leader and Andhra Pradesh's Chief Minister-elect N Chandrababu Naidu, whose party’s legislative support is vital for the Modi government.

Rewarding good work

Sources said electing her the Speaker will also be a reward for the party’s good performance in Andhra Pradesh in both the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections that were held simultaneously.

The BJP won eight of the 10 Assembly and three of the six Lok Sabha seats it contested in the state. And this is the third time Purandeswari has been elected to the Lok Sabha.

If Purandeswari is elected as the Lok Sabha Speaker, she will be second one from Andhra Pradesh to hold the key post after GMC Balayogi, who was from the TDP.