M. Thambidurai, MP from the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, is the unanimous choice for the post of Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha with the National Democratic Alliance and the Opposition parties, even the Congress, backing his candidature. The 67-year-old MP will be declared elected on Wednesday.
With 37 Lok Sabha members, the AIADMK is the third largest party and second largest Opposition party in the House. Mr. Thambidurai emerged as the unanimous choice after Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu reached out to all parties for support. The BJP’s decision to offer the post to the AIADMK is seen an endeavour to have the Tamil Nadu party on its side, particularly in the Rajya Sabha.
