In a rare occurrence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi shook hands in the well of the House after Om Birla was elected Speaker of the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
NDA Candidate Om Birla got elected as the speaker of 18th Lok Sabha.
The motion, proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and seconded by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, was approved by the house through a voice vote.
According to claims by social media users, the last time both leaders were seen shaking hands in Parliament was in 2018 when Rahul Gandhi had hugged PM Modi.
The opposition, which had nominated K Suresh as the INDIA bloc's candidate for Speaker, did not call for a division vote.
After the pro-tem Speaker announced Birla's victory, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi escorted him to Lok Sabha Speaker's chair.
This time, breaking from traditions, the opposition also fielded its candidate in the Lok Sabha Speaker election. Traditionally, the Speaker was elected by consensus, with the opposition refraining from nominating a candidate. This time, the NDIA bloc requested the Centre to maintain the tradition by leaving the Deputy Speaker post for the Opposition, but the government didn't agree with the demand.
With 293 MPs in the 543-member Lok Sabha, the NDA demonstrated its clear majority, ensuring Om Birla's return to the chair he held in the 17th Lok Sabha. The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha began on June 24 and will conclude on July 3. The 264th session of the Rajya Sabha will commence on June 27 and conclude on July 3. On June 27, President Murmu is scheduled to address a joint sitting of both houses of Parliament.
