Bhubaneswar: With the first session of the new Lok Sabha commencing June 17, all eyes are focused on the elections of next Speaker of Lok Sabha.
Amongst the leaders that are tipped to be in the race for the influential post is – former union minister and present Sundargarh Lok Sabha member Jual Oram.
That this time Jual has not been given any ministerial berth even as two from Odisha have been taken into the ministry gives credence to the speculation.
Jual is a prominent tribal leader and has been elected five times to the Lok Sabha, winning 1998, 1999, 2004, 2014 and 2019 elections under BJP banner. He also has served in the union cabinet as Tribal Affairs minister for two terms under Prime Minister Vajpayee and Modi.
According to a source in the party circle, it has been discussed that Jual’s immense experience may help him getting the post. Another reasoning doing rounds here is that the party is mulling giving him the post to please tribal population across the country.
Oram apart, names of several other top guns of the saffron party are doing rounds for the position. It includes Radha Mohan Singh, Virendra Kumar, SS Ahluwalia and Ramesh Jigajinagi.
PNN