The Congress Tuesday criticised the government after it was denied the post of Lok Sabha deputy speaker, calling it a "continuing assault" on parliamentary culture."Obviously, both the non-recognition of the single largest party as the official opposition as also the non-appointment of a deputy speaker from the Congress ranks is a continuing assault on established consistent parliamentary culture of over 60 years," Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi told the media here."It speaks badly for our parliamentary culture. It does not make as strong and vibrant a democracy as we might have, and it is ultimately a question which you have to ask the government," he said.
AIADMK leader M. Thambidurai was all set to be elected deputy speaker unanimously, a parliament official said Tuesday. Thambidurai filed his nomination Tuesday and the election will be held Wednesday.Defending the Congress for not having granted the Leader of Opposition post to Left parties in the past, Singhvi said they did not want the post."The Left did not want to take the post then. There was no argument at that time. The point today is that this is something which we are not here to attack the speaker."That is not the point at all. The point is it is incumbent upon the government to keep up the highest tradition of parliamentary politics. That is all. It reflects poorly on those who do it and not on those who are not given the post," Singhvi added.The AIADMK has 37 members in the Lok Sabha, and is the third largest party after the Bharatiya Janata Party with 279 and the Congress with 44.