Srinagar, Oct 18: The leadership of the National Conference (NC) has decided to offer the position of Deputy Speaker to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the second-largest party in the Legislative Assembly. The National Conference, which holds 42 seats, will serve as the main opposition party.
Insiders within the National Conference revealed that the party leadership has resolved to extend the Deputy Speaker position to the BJP, which has 29 seats in the 90-member House. Additionally, five Independent MLAs and the lone MLA from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have pledged their support to the NC, according to party sources.
While the BJP leadership has not yet been officially informed of the NC’s decision to offer the Deputy Speaker position, it is expected to be communicated in due course.
The first session of the Legislative Assembly is anticipated to be convened by the National Conference Government in the first week of November.
According to NC leaders, the Congress party, having decided not to participate in the government in any form, will not object to the NC’s offer to the BJP for the Deputy Speaker position. The National Conference and Congress had formed a pre-poll alliance, securing a total of 48 seats, which meets the majority threshold in the Legislative Assembly, especially considering the nomination of five additional MLAs that expands the House’s strength from 90 to 95.
The breakdown shows that the NC won 42 seats, while Congress secured six, and the Communist Party of India (Marxist), also a pre-poll ally, won one seat. Furthermore, the five Independent MLAs from the Jammu division and the single AAP MLA from Doda have also expressed their support for the National Conference, bringing NC’s total seat count to 48, as reported by Daily Excelsior.
