Today in Politics: NDA’s Birla vs INDIA bloc’s Suresh in rare battle for Speaker post; CBI set to seek Kejriwal custody

The stage is set for a rare contest for the Lok Sabha Speaker’s post on Wednesday after the Narendra Modi-led NDA government and the Opposition INDIA alliance failed to reach a breakthrough.

The INDIA bloc, which demanded commitment from the government on choosing a Deputy Speaker from the Opposition ranks – as per convention – went ahead and announced its candidate for the Speaker’s post after the government pushed back on the issue.

While the NDA has renominated three-term BJP MP from Kota, Om Birla, for the post, INDIA has pitted eight-time Congress MP Kodilkunnil Suresh against him. Birla was also the Speaker in the 17th Lok Sabha,

With the numbers on the NDA’s side, Birla is expected to sail through smoothly. “However, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi having spoken of ‘consensus’ just the day before, sources said the BJP hopes to avoid a contest. If not, it expects to ‘expose’ the Opposition’s numbers, including the ‘cracks within its ranks’,” report Liz Mathew and Manoj C G.

Only thrice has voting taken place for the Speaker’s post – 1952, 1967 and 1976. Twice, in 1991 and 1998, the Opposition’s resolution in favour of its candidates was negated by a voice vote.

In context: The Opposition’s last-minute decision to go for a contest came after senior BJP leaders did not agree to its pre-condition that the INDIA bloc must be offered the post of Deputy Speaker in lieu of supporting Birla.

However, the INDIA bloc on Tuesday found itself fighting a crisis when the Trinamool Congress (TMC) did not sign on Suresh’s nomination papers, with its leaders claiming that the party had not been “consulted” before the Congress MP’s name was decided and said it “could have given names”.

The Congress is trying to bring the TMC around, as