BJP MP Om Birla likely to be NDA nominee for Lok Sabha Speaker`s post

NEW DELHI: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Om Birla is likely to be the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominee for the Lok Sabha Speaker's post.

Birla won the Lok Sabha election from Kota-Bundi parliamentary seat in Rajasthan. As per sources, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have taken a decision on the name. Once nominated, he will easily become the Speaker as the NDA has a clear majority in the House.

Refusing to give any details about his candidature, Birla, who was at BJP National Working President JP Nadda's residence, said he had no information regarding the same. "I have no information. I just went to meet the Working President as a 'karyakarta'," he said.

His wife Amita Birla, though, called it a happy moment for the family. "It is a very proud and a happy moment for us. We are very thankful to the cabinet for choosing him," she was quoted as saying to news agency ANI.

Birla will be succeeding Sumitra Mahajan for the post who served as the Speaker in the 16h Lok Sabha. Eight-time MP from Indore, Sumitra Mahajan had not contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election after the BJP seemed hesitant in fielding her from the seat as she has crossed the 75-year age bar.