NEW DELHI: Amid mounting political confrontation, journalist-turned-politician Harivansh is set to be re-elected Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha for a third term, even as the Opposition has announced a boycott of the April 17 election, accusing the government of undermining parliamentary conventions.
Harivansh, 69, recently nominated to the Upper House by the President, took oath on April 10, the same day former Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar was sworn in, marking the beginning of his third term in the Rajya Sabha. With the NDA holding a numerical advantage and no Opposition candidate in the fray, his re-election is expected to be unanimous.
The Rajya Sabha Secretariat received five notices proposing his name, each stating that “Harivansh be chosen as the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha”, while no motion was filed by the Opposition within the stipulated time. As per procedure, motions will be moved and seconded sequentially, and the adoption of one will render the rest infructuous, with the first motion likely to be carried by voice vote. Once elected, he will be escorted o the Chair by members from both Treasury and Opposition benches.
However, the Opposition, led by Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, has criticised the process, linking its boycott to the government’s failure to appoint a Deputy Speaker in the Lok Sabha for seven years. He said the situation “has never happened before,” and questioned the precedent of fielding a nominated member for the post.
Ramesh also alleged the absence of “any meaningful consultations with the Opposition”, adding that the decision to stay away was “a mark of protest—but not with any disrespect to the very learned Shri Harivansh.” He noted, “Never before has a person nominated by the President to the Rajya Sabha been considered for the post of its Deputy Chairman.”
Despite the protest, the NDA has pushed ahead, with Leader of the House J P Nadda engaging parties to build consensus, though Opposition groups, including Congress, TMC and Left, remain opposed.