First Woman Speaker in Lok Sabha

New Delhi: Congress on Saturday appeared to be toying with the idea of fielding a woman for the post of Speakership, with the names of Girja Vyas and Meira Kumar figuring as possible candidates.

Discussions about fielding a woman for the post dominated a meeting of top leadership of Congress, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and party chief Sonia Gandhi here, which came two days ahead of the first session of the 15th Lok Sabha.

Besides Gandhi and Singh, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Home Minister P Chidambaram and Defence Minister AK Antony attended the meeting of the Congress Core Group at the Prime Minister’s residence.

Vyas and Kumar were considered as possible candidates for the post, sources in the party said.

The party initially appeared to be planning to field Kishore Chandra Deo, a senior Congress MP from Andhra Pradesh, for the post but later put his name on the back burner.

The Congress leadership also discussed whether the post of Deputy Speakership should be given to the Opposition as per convention or to some ally.

Tags: First Woman, Lok Sabha, Woman Speaker