Consensus on Meira for Speaker

NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha is all set to get a Dalit woman as its Speaker. Ms Meira Kumar, who resigned from the Union Cabinet on Sunday, has become the consensus candidate of both the ruling coalition and the Opposition, including BJP.

The formal nomination of Ms Kumar for the post of Speaker of the Lok Sabha is expected to be announced on Tuesday. Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who is also UPA chairperson, is expected to propose Ms Kumar���s name in the nomination paper. It is likely to be seconded by Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee. She���ll be formally elected as the Speaker on Wednesday.

The choice of Ms Kumar as the party's candidate for the presiding officer of the Lok Sabha is the crowning glory of the Congress' efforts to woo the Dalit vote.

In its second innings, the UPA has appointed nine Dalits in the council of ministers, of which five are in the Cabinet ��� four from Congress and one from DMK. Ms Krishna Tirath is the sole Dalit among the seven ministers of state with independent charge.

Congress, which is experiencing a revival, especially in politically crucial states like Uttar Pradesh, would like to tap into the Dalit votebank. In Uttar Pradesh, there has been a degree of disenchantment with Mayawati's BSP even among the Dalits.

Congress would not like to miss the opportunity to draw this sizeable votebank into its fold. In appointing Dalits from across the country to positions of responsibility and authority, Congress hopes to present an alternative and more inclusive focal point.

So, while Ms Mayawati's efforts of "social upliftment" have been centred on making a "dalit ki beti" (a Dalit's daughter) the prime minister, Congress is attempting to present a more inclusive picture of empowerment.

Congress' resurgence story was most clearly visible in Uttar Pradeh in the general elections. The party would like to consolidate onto this renewed interest of the electorate. Attracting the Dalit vote is crucial if the party has to place itself ahead of BSP. It has already managed to eat into BSP and SP's Muslim vote base, and cornering at least a section of the Dalit vote would place it ahead of its rivals in the state.