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Sangma does not want to be a 'pawn in power politics'

Lok Sabha Speaker Purno A Sangma today made it clear that he would not be a candidate for the presiding officer's post if there was a contest. Sangma said he was not willing to be ''a pawn'' in power politics.

Turning down the offer to be the joint candidate of the Congress and the United Front for the Speaker's post, Sangma said the choice should be based on consensus since the elected person is called upon to carry the entire House with him. The task, he added, has become much more difficult with representatives of as many as 40 political parties present in the Lok Sabha now.

Sangma said he had conveyed his decision to senior Congress leaders Pranab Mukherjee, Sharad Pawar and Madhavrao Scindia when they spoke to him in this connection last night. The Congress Working Committee had authorised them to explore the possibility of a joint candidate to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party in what is possibly the first trial of strength in the 12th Lok Sabha.

Emphasising the need for consensus in the Speaker's election, Sangma said the person holding the office is expected to be impartial and fair. Personally speaking, he did not want to continue in the post since the job is painful and many a time he had ''to spend sleepless nights'' over the ruling he had given during the day.

Apart from Sangma's disinclination to play ball with the Congress and UF, another factor that will affect the combine's plan to have a common candidate for the speakership is UF convener Chandrababu Naidu.

Given that the election to the Andhra Pradesh assembly is just 12 months away, Naidu does not want to be seen supporting the Congress's plans in any way. Considering this fact, he has expressed a couched willingness not to oppose the BJP in the Lok Sabha. If this decision is formalised by his party, there is no way the UF and Congress can hope for a common candidate for the Speaker's post.

UNI

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