After winning 29 seats, BJP eyes Deputy Speaker post in J&K Assembly

JAMMU, Oct 13: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which emerged as the second-largest party in the recently concluded Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, is likely to secure the position of Deputy Speaker in the new Legislative Assembly, according to highly placed sources.
Traditionally, the role of Deputy Speaker is offered to the second-largest party, a precedent followed across the country, including in Jammu and Kashmir.
A senior BJP leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the party plans to stake its claim to the post.
“In the 2014 Assembly elections, the BJP and PDP formed a coalition government in J&K after framing the ‘Agenda of Alliance.’ Despite being the third-largest party, the National Conference (NC) was appointed the Deputy Speaker, with Nazir Gurezi assuming the role,” the BJP leader said. “This time, BJP is the second-largest party, and we will follow the tradition.”
The BJP leader emphasized that the party’s claim to the post aligns with practices across the nation. “We will stake our claim for the Deputy Speaker position in the new Legislative Assembly, as per the tradition followed not only in J&K but throughout the country,” he stated.
The BJP secured its highest-ever tally in the history of the J&K Assembly, winning 29 out of 43 seats in the Jammu region. Additionally, the party achieved the highest vote share in the recent elections, garnering 25.64% of the total votes. The National Conference, despite being the single largest party in terms of seats, secured a 23.43% vote share. The Congress and PDP received 11.97% and 8.87% of the votes, respectively.