New Delhi: AIADMK leader M. Thambidurai was Wednesday unanimously elected as the deputy speaker of the Lok Sabha.
The motion for his election was moved by Home Minister Rajnath Singh and seconded by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.
Almost all parties moved motions for his election, including the Congress.
Congratulating Thambidurai, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: “He is an academician, activist and an agriculturist too. I assure the government will give complete cooperation to you.”
After the AIADMK leader was declared elected, Modi and Kharge walked up to Thambidurai, seated in the front row with TMC’s Sudip Bandopadhyay, and escorted him to his new seat, amid thumping of desks.
The AIADMK has 37 MPs in the lower house of parliament and is the third largest party after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress.
Leader of the Congress Mallikarjun Kharge, whose party has still not been given the post of the Leader of the Opposition, said Thambidurai was “large-hearted” and would help the Opposition to put forth its point of view.
He said he was not blaming Speaker Sumitra Mahajan of partiality but wanted to emphasise that “we have to get along for five long years.” (Agencies)
