Lok Sabha Speaker election: Miffed TMC now agrees to back INDIA nominee K Suresh

The TMC made a change in its minds after party MPs Derek O'Brien and Kalyan Banerjee attended an INDIA meeting last evening, K Suresh claimed.

As per a report by CNN News 18, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi dialed West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo, Mamata Banerjee, seeking support for Suresh.

TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday claimed his party was not consulted before naming Suresh as the Opposition nominee for the rare Lok Sabha Speaker's post.

"This is a unilateral decision," said Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday.

Moreover, the TMC, a key party in INDIA bloc with 29 seats, said the contest for the Lok Sabha Speaker's post will make the difference in numbers between the ruling party and Opposition more prominent and will bring a chink in the armour.

Suresh, an eight-time MP from Kerala's Mavelikara, will take on BJP MP Om Birla, who has been fielded as the ruling coalition NDA's candidate for the Speaker's post.

Though NDA sought support from the INDIA bloc, the government and opposition failed to reach a consensus after the incumbent refused to give up the Deputy Speaker's post, which was demanded by the rival parties.

The Speaker's election scheduled on Wednesday is expected to go in favour of the government with the numbers stacked up for the ruling NDA alliance.

However, the BJP is still aiming to reach a consensus with its Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju appealing to Congress to withdraw its candidate and support Birla, who was also the Speaker in the 17th Lok Sabha from 2019-2024.