JD(U) Likely to Lose RS Deputy Chairman Post to TD
The JD(U) sources claim that the party also intends to claim the Bihar Speaker's post after the new Bihar CM is declared, who will likely be from the BJP.
New Delhi: The JD(U) not only stares at the possibility of losing the "big brother" tag in the Bihar NDA, but the Nitish Kumar-led party, according to speculation, may also be denied the Rajya Sabha's deputy chairman's post. The Telugu Desam (TD), another NDA ally, is eyeing the deputy chairman's post, which will fall vacant after JD(U)'s Harivansh demits the office on April 9.
The southern party has 16 Lok Sabha and two Rajya Sabha MPs. Harivansh, who was holding the post, has not been renominated to the Upper House. His tenure ends on April 9. According to sources, the TDP had backed Harivansh's renomination to the Upper House for the second term in 2020. The BJP will likely consider the TDP's claim for the deputy chairmanship this time. The TDP has so far not officially staked a claim.
The JD(U) insiders said that the party intends to retain the Rajya Sabha deputy chairman post. The matter has been put before the party chief Nitish Kumar, who will take a call on this issue in consultation with the BJP leaders after he takes the oath of the Rajya Sabha on April 10.
Kumar is also expected to meet the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, soon after joining the Rajya Sabha. He will likely discuss the issue with the Prime Minister, they added. Noting that the post of deputy chairmanship is important for the party, the JD(U) leaders are hoping that the BJP will not change the existing political arrangement in the Parliament.
Rejecting the speculation that the TDP will claim deputy chairmanship, the JD(U) sources said that the party supported the TDP in making Amaravati the Andhra Pradesh capital, so they will also support the JD(U) in retaining the post in the Rajya Sabha.
The JD(U) sources claim that the party also intends to claim the Bihar Speaker's post after the new Bihar CM is declared, who will likely be from the BJP.
According to political pundits, the BJP will deal with this issue carefully so that the existing political coalitions remain intact and consolidated. The election for the deputy chairman is likely to be held during the upcoming Monsoon Session, and the BJP will like to build a consensus among the NDA partners, they said.
Political commentators argue that in case there is no agreement on the Rajya Sabha deputy chairman's post, the BJP may either keep it with itself or consider handing it to the AIADMK, with whom the saffron party is contesting the Assembly election of Tamil Nadu.