BJP names Karia Munda as candidate for LS Dy Speaker's post

New Delhi, Jun 2 (PTI) Karia Munda, BJP's tribal
leader from India's eastern state Jharkhand, was Tuesday named
by the party as its candidate for the post of Deputy Speaker
of Lok Sabha.

"The BJP's Central Parliamentary Board held a meeting
Tuesday after the government's proposal that as per the
convention that the Deputy Speaker's post be given to the main
opposition party.

"The Parliamentary Board decided to name six-time
party MP in the Lok Sabha Karia Munda as the candidate for the
post," BJP General Secretary Arun Jaitley told reporters.

72-year-old Munda was a minister in the Morarji Desai
government and later in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee ministry. He
was earlier an MLA in Bihar and later in Jharkhand.

When asked whether Munda's candidature was done with
the aim of winning tribal support for the party, Jaitley said,
"It is true that Munda belongs to the ST community, but along
with that he has a vast legislative experience and this
decision was made considering his seniority."

With Congress nominating its Dalit face Meira Kumar
for the post of Lok Sabha Speaker, BJP was expected to field
a tribal or an OBC for Deputy Speakership.

BJP sources said Sripad Naik, an OBC from North Goa,
was another name being considered by the party for the post.

The party was earlier planning to field veteran BJP
leader and MP from Indore Sumitra Mahajan but gave up the idea
when Congress nominated Kumar.

Congress had offered Deputy Speakership to the BJP
last Saturday in keeping with the convention that the position
has been held by the opposition. PTI RC
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