Bhubaneswar: Names of senior and established parliamentarians are making rounds for the post of Lok Sabha Speaker and Deputy Speaker. Two among these names are from Odisha – Jual Oram and Bhartruhari Mahatab. While speculations over the selection of these two leaders for the coveted posts are rife, the final call rests with Central BJP leadership.
Political observers in Odisha think that Mahatab chances are slim, given BJD’s equi-distant policy. Senior journalist Prabhu Kalyan Mohapatra said that BJD’s stance of not taking up posts in the Central Legislature or getting into an alliance with the Union Government would make Mahatab’s selection difficult.
“However, so far as Jual Oram is concerned, his seniority and position as an established tribal leader raise his stakes. There is a strong chance of BJP’s central leadership offering Jual a chance this time as the Lok Sabha speaker,” Mohapatra said.
Senior Odisha BJP Leader Sameer Mohanty said that the State unit of the party has little to do with this. “This decision will be taken by senior leadership at the Centre. No doubt we will be very happy if a senior tribal leader like Jual Oram who has won with a huge margin gets elected for the post of Lok Sabha speaker,” he said.