Seven-term BJP MP and former Union Minister Virendra Kumar, who is also a Dalit leader from Madhya Pradesh, was on Tuesday appointed the Pro-tem Speaker. He will administer the oath of office to newly elected members of Lok Sabha. Senior Lok Sabha members Bhartruhari Mahtab, Kodikunil Suresh and Brijbhushan Sharan Singh have been appointed by President Ram Nath Kovind as persons before whom MPs can take the oath as well on June 17 and 18.
As a pro-tem speaker, Kumar will preside over the first sitting of the Lok Sabha and administer the oath of office to the newly-elected MPs and will also oversee the election of the Lok Sabha speaker, scheduled on July 19. There are speculations in political circles that BJP may field Kumar for the post of Lok Sabha Speaker.
There were reports that being a senior most MP, Maneka Gandhi may also be considered for the post of the Speaker. Besides these two leaders, former Union ministers Radha Mohan Singh, Jual Oram, and S S Ahluwalia are seen as contenders for the post. The first session of the newly-constituted 17th Lok Sabha will be held from June 17 to July 26.
Sources also suggested that the BJP may offer deputy speaker's post to the BJD, which is not a part of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) but at time has supported the government in Parliament, or one of its allies such as Shiv Sena.
