Lucknow: An interesting contest for the post of Deputy Speaker of the Uttar Pradesh assembly is on the cards tomorrow when a rebel Samajwadi Party candidate Nitin Agarwal would lock horns with opposition backed SP candidate Narendra Singh Verma.
Rebel SP candidate Nitin Agarwal, supported by ruling BJP, will contest against opposition led SP candidate Narendra Singh Verma. Both filed their nomination papers on Sunday, officials here said.
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who was present during the filing of nomination of rebel SP candidate Nitin Agarwal, said BJP is following parliamentary traditions.
"The post of Deputy Speaker is reserved for the opposition and we have named the leader of the largest opposition party as opposition party could not give their candidate's name on time," he said.
Defending support to rebel SP candidate Nitin Agarwal, CM said," those who came from the biggest opposition party, we consider them as candidate."
"We are respecting parliamentary traditions," CM Yogi claimed.
SP candidate Narendra Singh Verma after filing his nomination said as per Constitutional and democratic norms, the opposition should get the deputy Speaker's post.
Nitin Agarwal, son of Naresh Agarwal, was elected as SP candidate from Hardoi seat in 2017 polls but later aligned with BJP after his father joined the party. SP had moved a disqualification petition against Nitin, but it was rejected by the speaker.
The tenure of the current 17th UP assembly ends on May 14 ,2022 and there is hardly three months time for the assembly polls.
UP assembly has convened a special session for election of the deputy speaker on Monday at 1100 hrs.
SP president Akhilesh Yadav has directed all the party MLAs to be present at the state party office at 1400 on Sunday.
Mr Verma, a six time MLA from Mahmoodabad assembly segment in Sitapur district, is presently deputy leader of the party in the assembly.
Though SP has just 49 members in the assembly, highest among the opposition, but would get support of the rebel BSP members.
But the winner would be that MLA, who has the backing of 304 members of the ruling BJP. (UNI)
