It’s Harivansh vs Hariprasad for RS deputy chair’s post
NEW DELHI: Opposition parties that were initially uneasy with a Congress candidate for Rajya Sabha deputy chairperson election have decided to put aside their differences and back the candidate, sources said, putting the anti-bjp front back on track. The Congress will field BK Hariprasad, a 64-year-old lawmaker from Karnataka. He will be pitted against Harivansh Narayan Singh, a first-time lawmaker from Nitish Kumar’s party.
The government is expected to field Harivansh Narayan Singh, a 62-year-old veteran journalist and first-time lawmaker from Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal-united. He is described as a candidate who has friends cutting across party lines - a vital qualification to manage House.
The Congress decided to field a candidate Tuesday evening after Sharad Pawar’s party, which had agreed to field Vandana Chavan, backed out after Naveen Patnaik indicated that his party would not support her candidature. The NCP said it needed the backing from both Shiv Sena and the BJD.
Other opposition parties too were hesitant to project a candidate. Early in the discussions, the Trinamool Congress said it would not field Sukhendu Shekhar Roy or anyone else, and was ready to back a consensus candidate.
After the Congress informally picked a candidate Tuesday evening, TMC and other opposition parties had indicated that he was not a consensus candidate. In an election seen as a test for opposition unity ahead of next year’s general polls, it appeared ominous.
The Shiv Sena, an estranged ally of the BJP, will back the NDA candidate for the election to the post of the Rajya Sabha’s deputy chairman, the party said on Wednesday.
The government is also banking on support from the AIADMK, K Chandrashekar Rao’s TRS and Naveen Patnaik, which will give it 123 votes. To win in the 245-member house, a candidate needs 123 votes, but abstention will bring down the magic figure.
The opposition has 117 seats - including Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP. Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP on Wednesday said it would not back the Congress candidate; however, Mehbooba Mufti’s PDP, indicated that they would abstain. Support is also expected from the DMK, which has four seats.