8 May 2002
MANOHAR JOSHI IS NEW LOK SABHA
SPEAKER
From Jal Khambata
NEW DELHI:
Manohar Gajanan Joshi, the 1937-born Shiv Sena leader who has been a
former Maharashtra Chief Minister and currently Union Heavy
Industries Minister, will be the new Lok Sabha Speaker in place of
GMC Balayogi of TDP who died in a helicopter crash in March.
The
final choice of the BJP-led ruling National Democratic Alliance fell
on Joshi instead of picking up a BJP man for the post. He will be
elected unopposed as the Government has secured an assurance from the
Opposition parties not to contest for the seat. Nominations close
Thursday noon for the Friday election which will not take place
now.
Joshi is a law graduate and was a teacher before he
plunged into active politics in 1972 to become a member of the
Maharashtra Legislative Council. He became Mayor of Mumbai in 1976,
leader of Opposition in the State Assembly in 1990-91, the Chief
Minister from 1995-99 and entered the Lok Sabha from Mumbai North in
1999. He was born at Nandvi village in Raigad district but his
education has been in Mumbai and he describes himself as a builder
first and then educationist and industrialist.
Petroleum
Minister Rambhau Naik, who is also from Mumbai but belongs to BJP, at
one stage appeared all set to get the post alike the last time when
eventually late Balayogi was picked up by the NDA as a compromise for
TDP not joining the government but supporting only from outside. BJP
spokesman Vijay Kumar Malhotra said the PM personally conveyed to
Rambhau on Tuesday that he would like the Speaker's post to go to one
of the allies instead of the BJP usurping it.
The Prime
Minister decided to propose Joshi's name after consultations with
Opposition leader Sonia Gandhi of Congress, leaders of Opposition
parties including Mulayam Singh Yadav of Samajwadi party and leaders
of NDA by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan on his
behalf. Atal Bihari Vajpayee also personally spoke to TDP supremo
Chandrababu Naidu to get his consent for Joshi.
Last time,
Balayogi had to be whisked away straight from the airport on his
arrival from Hyderabad to beat the deadline of nominations but it
will not be so as Joshi, who was in Mumbai, flew into Delhi Wednesday
evening. He said he was happy to be a consensus candidate for the
new assignment.
Sources close to the parliamentary Affairs
Minister said the choice fell on Manohar Joshi as he has held the top
posts both in the government and in the Opposition and is known for
keeping his cool to handle any kind of controversial
situation.
Following the carnage of Muslims in Gujarat and the
BJP's refusal to remove Chief Minister Narendra Modi, the TDP had
resolved not to put up its candidate for the post which was offered
to it by the Prime Minister since it was already held by TDP.
Joshi
is known for his contribution in improvement of life in India's
financial capital of Mumbai that he initiated during his one-year
tenure as Mayor and he has also written a book entitled 'Swachh
Mumbai; Harit Mumbai' (Clean Mumbai, Green Mumbai) to let his ideas
bloom for ever.
During his Chief Ministership, he had started
Kamdhenu Policy for women, 'Matoshri Vrudhashram Scheme' for the aged
and Sainik Schools for the youth. He is also founder of Marathi
Chamber of Commerce and Industries.
Drama, hotel and building
constructions and promotion of sports are his hobbies while he is
also Vice-President of the Cricket Control Board of India and
President of the Mumbai Cricket Association. END