New Delhi:The first session of the 15th Lok Sabha begins on Monday and India is all set to have its first woman Speaker Meira Kumar - the Union Water Resources Minister.
Chairperson of the UPA, President of India and now Speaker. On the June 3, it's a foregone conclusion now that the daughter of Jagjivan Ram will be Speaker of the 15th Lok Sabha. The official announcement is likely on Monday. But, the message from the Congress stable was clear.
"Congress has always encouraged women, Dalits and minorities to come forward. It is not mentioned in the manifesto but this has been an objective from before," said Congress Leader, Satyavrat Chaturvedi.
By Sunday morning the race had narrowed down to Meira Kumar as Girija Vyas and K C Deo got left behind. Kumar's first port of call was Sonia Gandhi. Later, Lok Sabha Secretary General PDT Achari too called upon Kumar.
The post of Deputy Speaker has been offered to the BJP. And it's likely that Sumitra Mahajan, though not a Dalit, could be fielded.
By opting for a woman as a Speaker for the first time the Congress hopes to take the message of social empowerment into the enemy camp.
Mayawati they hope can now no longer call herself the undisputed leader of Dalits. By also opting for a leader from sasaram, the party hopes to send home the message that it means business in Bihar as well.
While the UPA has breached the glass ceiling, all eyes will now be on the Women's Reservation Bill and whether the women of the house will be able to coax their MPs to turn this historic legislation into an act.
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