The Modi-led Government — which has come to power with a clear majority — is committed to smooth running of Parliament, new Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu has said.
On his first day in office as Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Naidu also said that his Government would adopt a 3-D formula of 'debate, discussion and decision’ to live up to the expectations of Parliament.
It would however consciously avoid the fourth D of ‘disruption’, which was seen as a regular feature of Parliament during the erstwhile UPA regime.
These remarks are significant and comforting as ‘debate, discussion and decision’ were often missing elements in Parliament functioning during the erstwhile UPA regime
Woos Opposition
The new dispensation will not be averse to going the ‘extra mile’ to accommodate the Opposition, Naidu told reporters soon after assuming charge as Parliamentary Affairs Minister here on Wednesday.
“I am not blaming anybody. People also want to have a proper debate in both Houses....Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed for debate on any issue of public importance....We are ready to go the extra mile to accommodate the Opposition as far as debate and discussion is concerned,” he said.
However, Naidu, who was flanked by Ministers of State for Parliamentary Affairs Santosh Gangwar and Prakash Javadekar, steered clear of questions on the issue of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
“We have not discussed the issue. I have no comments to offer”, Naidu said when asked whether Congress will get the post of Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha.
Congress had secured just 44 seats in the 16th Lok Sabha.
Protem Speaker
Former Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath, who is the senior most member of the Lok Sabha, will be the Protem Speaker, Naidu said.
The Government’s recommendation on making Kamal Nath as the Protem Speaker was conveyed to President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday.
As the Protem Speaker, Nath’s responsibility will be to swear-in the newly elected MPs and also facilitate the election of the Speaker of the 16th Lok Sabha.
Former Union Minister Sumitra Mahajan — a BJP veteran who has been elected from Indore for the eighth time — is tipped to become the next Lok Sabha Speaker.
A special session of the new Lok Sabha is likely to be convened from June 2.