Divya Delhi

New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's efforts to build consensus on the choice for Lok Sabha Speaker and Deputy Speaker have hit a roadblock, with the Congress insisting that the Deputy Speaker position must go to the Opposition benches. The Congress, which has won 99 seats in the recent Lok Sabha elections, is refusing to budge on this demand. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and Rajnath Singh have spoken to top Opposition leaders, including Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, DMK leader MK Stalin, and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, but to no avail.

The deadline to file nominations for the post of Lok Sabha Speaker is today, and if an election is necessary, it will be held tomorrow. The government is tight-lipped about its choice for the Speaker post, but there are rumors that Om Birla may be repeated for the job.

The Congress has made it clear that it will not accept any compromise on the Deputy Speaker post, with Mr. Kharge telling Rajnath Singh that it must go to the Opposition benches. The party's stance is backed by its allies in the INDIA Opposition bloc. Rahul Gandhi has also weighed in, saying that the Prime Minister's words mean nothing and that the party has yet to receive a callback from Rajnath Singh.