The ruling NDA has reportedly pushed for the case of re-election of Harivansh as Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha following the expiry of his term.
It is learnt that the Union minister and BJP leader J P Nadda, also the leader of the house in Rajya Sabha, has discussed about the re-election of Harivansh with leaders of various other parties, attempting to reach to a broader consensus.
However, several parties, including the Congress, TMC and Left parties, have raised objections to the keenness the ruling party is showing in holding elections for filling the post of eputy chairman of the Upper House, without showing concern for filling the post of Deputy Speaker in Lok Sabha, which has been vacant since 2019.
While no official notification has been issued to fill the post of Deputy Chairman, sources said the election may happen during the current sitting of Parliament on April 16 or 17, when both houses meet for a special sitting to approve amendments to the women's reservation law.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the government wants to "bulldoze" the appointment of the Deputy Chairman in the Rajya Sabha.
"A govt that does not appoint a Deputy Speaker in the Lok Sabha for seven years wants to bulldoze the appointment of a Deputy Chairman in the Rajya Sabha in less than four days," Ramesh said.
Trinamool Congress Leader Derek O'Brien said the BJP wants to hold the election for the Deputy Chairman in the Upper House on April 17, and questioned the "hurry".
"Mocking Parliament Again," O'Brien said in a post on X.
"The post of Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha has been vacant since 2019. Why is the BJP in such a hurry to fill the post of Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman, vacant only for 10 days?" O'Brien said in a post on X.
"Why does the BJP want to have this election on April 17 when MPs are busy with polls in their states? Shameless," he said.
CPI leader P Sandosh also questioned the government, saying, "The BJP should show the same keenness in electing the deputy speaker in Lok Sabha, a post which has not been filled for several years".
The post of the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha fell vacant after the tenure of JD-U MP Harivansh ended on April 9.
Harivansh has since been nominated by President Droupadi Murmu to the Upper House, and he took the oath on April 10.
Harivansh, who has had two consecutive terms as a member of the Rajya Sabha, representing the state of Bihar, has held the post of Deputy Chairman for two terms.
He has also handled several contentious matters in the Upper House.
With inputs from PTI