The Opposition on Wednesday said the INDIA bloc constituents did not seek a division of votes in the Lok Sabha speaker’s election as they wanted to give a “symbolic fight” and maintain a spirit of consensus and cooperation.
The Opposition had fielded Congress MP K Suresh as a joint candidate against NDA’s choice Om Birla, who was eventually elected as Speaker for the second time in a row.
“INDIA parties exercised their democratic right and moved motions in support of Kodikunnil Suresh as Lok Sabha Speaker. Voice Vote was taken. Thereafter, INDIA parties could have insisted on division,” Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X.
“They did not do so. This is because they wanted a spirit of consensus and cooperation to prevail, a spirit singularly lacking in the actions of the PM and the NDA,” he added.
“It was a symbolic fight and we did not allow election and followed the tradition. We also gave a message that there is a very strong opposition and its strong leader in the Lok Sabha,” Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said while responding to the Opposition not seeking a division of votes in the speaker’s election.