Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) MP M Thambidurai on Tuesday filed nomination for the post of Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha.
Thambidurai of AIADMK is set to be elected unopposed as Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha after all major parties, including Congress, extended support to his candidature.
Thambidurai`s first nomination paper was proposed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh and seconded by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.
Later, Congress also lent its support and its leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge proposed a set of nomination papers in his support and Jyotiraditya Scindia supported it.
Official sources said at least eight more set of nominations papers are being filed in his support by NDA allies like TDP, Shiv Sena, LJP as well as non-NDA parties like BJD, TRS, YSR Congress, TMC and SP.
Earlier reports had said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu was in touch with Opposition leaders, including Congress` Mallikarjun Kharge, to make Thambidurai`s election unanimous.
Election for the post of Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker will take place on Wednesday.
The NDA`s move to give the post to AIADMK is seen as a gesture towards Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha and also a bid to split the opposition ranks.
Thambidurai is the leader of AIADMK in the House. He was Deputy Speaker from 1985 to 1989.
Earlier today, AIADMK MPs, including Thambidurai, met Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu in the latter`s chamber and he emerged as the ruling party`s choice for the post.
AIADMK with 37 MPs is the third largest party in Lok Sabha after BJP and Congress, which have 279 and 44 members respectively.
(With PTI inputs)
