AIADMK’s Thambidurai to be next Dy Speaker with all-party support
12 Aug 2014
M Thambidurai of the Jayalithaa-led AIADMK is set to be the deputy speaker of Lok Sabha, according to reports today.
The 67-year-old Tamil Nadu leader was the only candidate to file a nomination for the post within the stipulated time which expired today, with all major parties supporting him.
This will be Thambidurai's second stint as deputy speaker of the lower house. He held the post for the first time way back in 1985.
A five-term member, Thambidurai represents Karur constituency in Tamil Nadu and his party; is the second-largest party in the opposition after the Congress.
Thambidurai will become deputy speaker at a time when there is no word yet on Leader of the Opposition status for the Congress.
The 11 parties that supported Thambidurai's candidature were the ruling BJP, Maharashtra's Shiv Sena, the Telugu Desam Party of Andhra Pradesh, the Lok Jan Shakti Party (all part of the ruling NDA), as well opposition Congress, AIADMK, Samajvadi Party, Trinamul Congress, BJD, TRS and YSR CP.
The AIADMK with 37 MPs is the third-largest party in Lok Sabha after the BJP and the Congress, which have 279 and 44 members respectively.
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