Not consulted over INDIA bloc's nominee for Lok Sabha Speaker: TMC's Abhishek Banerjee

TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee stated that Congress did not consult his party before nominating K Suresh for the Lok Sabha Speaker's position. 'We were not contacted about this; there was no discussion. Unfortunately, this is a unilateral decision,' said Abhishek Banerjee. Earlier in the day, the INDIA bloc fielded Congress leader K Suresh as its candidate for the Speaker's position against BJP's Om Birla. NDA holds a majority in the Lower House and is likely to face no difficulty in getting Om Birla elected as the Speaker. Birla will need 271 votes, half of 542 (Wayanad seat vacant), to win the election. NDA has 293 members in the Lok Sabha, while the INDIA block has 233.