Political Showdown Unfolds on the Eve of 18th Lok Sabha

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju meets Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay ahead of the 18th Lok Sabha session. The opposition bloc INDIA protests BJP leader Bhartuhari Mahtab's appointment as Pro-tem Speaker, pulling out of the chairpersons’ panel aiding Mahtab till the Speaker's election.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju reached out to Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay on Sunday, a day before the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha, amid a brewing conflict with the opposition INDIA bloc over the appointment of BJP's Bhartuhari Mahtab as Pro-tem Speaker.

Rijiju's meeting with Bandyopadhyay comes in light of the opposition's decision to withdraw its members from the chairpersons' panel that is set to assist Mahtab in Lok Sabha proceedings until the election of a new Speaker on Wednesday. Bandyopadhyay, along with other opposition leaders, reaffirmed their stance to stay off the panel in protest.

President Droupadi Murmu's appointment of Mahtab, a seven-term Lok Sabha member from Cuttack, has met resistance from Congress, which advocates for eight-term member and Dalit leader Kodikunnil Suresh for the role. The Congress maintains that the BJP's choice overlooks seniority and inclusivity, leading to further political friction.

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