The BJP leaders are sore with the allies and have accused them of ``changing their stand''. BJP MP Rita Verma had been made a candidate after the allies said that the BJP should have its own nominee for the post and that it should be a woman. ``Ask them why they backtracked,'' a senior BJP minister retorted. The BJP might have delayed the election further had it not been for Lok Sabha Speaker G M C Balayogi and the Congress.

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee met the allies and supporting parties this afternoon. ``It was decided that we would respond positively to the Congress party's request of accepting the principal Opposition party's candidate as the Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker,'' Parliamentary Affairs Minister Madan Lal Khurana announced later.

The BJP, which had earlier insisted that it was entitled to the post because the Speaker is not from the ruling party (he belongs to the Telugu Desam Party which is giving issue-based support to the government), had no option but to give in after its allies Trinamool Congress and AIADMK announced their backing to Sayeed. The Samata Party, too, was in his favour.

``This is not a BJP government but a coalition. The decision (to concede the post to the Opposition) was an alliance decision,'' Khurana said. The election is likely to be notified by the Speaker on Monday and take place by Thursday.

In the morning, Congress leaders Sharad Pawar, P Shiv Shankar and Ajit Jogi met Vajpayee and urged him to follow the convention and accept the candidate of the main Opposition party. Vajpayee is believed to have retorted that the Congress was in no position to quote tradition as the party itself has violated it by putting up a candidate for the Speaker's post which normally goes to the ruling party. However, the Congress (and AIADMK) argue that it was the BJP which chose to nominate G M C Balayogi though he belongs to the TDP.

Meanwhile, Congress spokesman Ajit Jogi today welcomed the government's decision. ``We are thankful that they have heeded to our request, even if late,'' Thanking friendly parties and allies of the BJP, especially AIADMK supremo J Jayalalitha and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, he said their stand helped in maintaining the healthy tradition of the post going to the Opposition.