BJP to get Speaker’s post

It will also be given ministerial berths in AINRC-led coalition govt.

BJP Rajya Sabha Member Rajeev Chandrasekar and BJP Puducherry unit president V.Saminathan addressing a press conference at the BJP party office in the Union Territory. File photo

After days of hard bargaining with its ally AINRC, the BJP had to settle for the Speaker’s post, apart from ministerial berths in the coalition government in the Union Territory.

“The talks concluded on Tuesday evening. As per the agreement, a BJP nominee will be the Speaker. We agreed to share ministerial berths, but the final representation will be decided in a day or two by the leadership,” BJP leader V. Saminathan told reporters after chairing a meeting of the party MLAs on Wednesday.

After the swearing-in of N. Rangasamy as Chief Minister of the first NDA government in Puducherry, the BJP had been demanding the posts of Deputy Chief Minister and the Speaker, besides two berths in the Ministry.