NEW DELHI, July 7: The BJP is in a fix over the appointment of the Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker with the Congress sending out signals that rather than following the ruling party it would prefer to field its own candidate. As a result, the entire exercise might be pushed to the next session.It is learnt that veteran Congress MP P M Sayeed is likely to be the party's nominee for Deputy Speaker. The Congress today bagged the post of Rajya Sabha deputy chairperson: Najma Heptulla's was the only nomination to be filed.Since the BJP government is in a minority in the Lok Sabha, the AIADMK front, with its 27 MPs, would become crucial if there is a contest for the post of Deputy Speaker. And the BJP fears that the AIADMK might vote with the Congress or plan a strategic abstention. This way, the AIADMK would not be accused of destabilising the government but the move would serve to express J Jayalalitha's displeasure with the Centre.To avoid risking an election and opening another front, BJP sources hinted thatthe thinking in the party is veering round to the view that it might be more appropriate to leave the post vacant for the time being by deferring the matter to the next session. There is no time limit stipulated for the post to be filled.The BJP was hoping that the Congress would support its candidate for Deputy Speaker if it supported the latter's nominee for deputy chairperson of the Rajya Sabha. But the Congress has the numbers in the Upper House to get its candidate elected without the BJP, which is in a minority in the Rajya Sabha.The Congress is citing the convention that the Lok Sabha Speaker is from the ruling party (or coalition) while the Deputy Speaker's post goes to the Opposition.``Why should we help the BJP? We would rather have our own Deputy Speaker,'' said a Congress leader.Though the Speaker's role is crucial, especially for a minority government, the BJP was forced to concede the Speaker's post to the Telegu Desam Party in return for its ``issue-based'' support to thegovernment. But it was hoping to offset Speaker G C M Balayogi's inexperience by appointing one of its own senior MPs as Deputy Speaker.Several names, including former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Shanta Kumar, Bhagwan Shankar Rawat and former Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker S Mallikarjunaiah were doing the rounds. But the entire exercise is now likely to be put on the backburner.
