K Rahman Khan may get second chance

As the head hunting for the next president and vice-president begins, ruling Congress seems not in hurry to fill the post of the deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha atleast until monsoon session. The post was vacated by K Rahman Khan recently.

Earlier, the party was toying the idea of hoisting the Ram Gopal Yadav, the Samajwadi Party strongman to enlist party’s support in the wake of tantrums of allies particularly Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress.

Depending on the candidates selected for the two top constitutional posts and their election, the party leaders believe they might re-elect Karnataka MP Rahman Khan to the post, or anoint Kerala Congress leader PJ Kurian.

Election for filling the post only during the monsoon session of Parliament will ensure the Opposition does not unite to usurp the post on the strength of their numbers in the Upper House, the party sources said. “There have been precedents of the post remaining vacant for two and three sessions,” says the sources. They further say the party would work on election of the new deputy chairman only after concluding the prestigious Presidential election.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission concluded the meeting of state electoral officers (CEOs) as part of preparations for the upcoming presidential poll and the assembly polls in Gujarat and Himachal. The term in both the states ends in January.