The two BJP leaders who might be considered for the post after a high-level meeting are former industry minister Harsharan Singh Balli and former health minister Harsh Vardhan. While former finance minister Jagdish Mukhi is also a contender, he is reportedly reluctant to leave his post as the leader of the Opposition. But following the all-party fiasco about the election of the deputy speaker of the Lok Sabha last week, the BJP is vehement about claiming its right in the Delhi Assembly.

``The Congress in Parliament used the argument that as the post of the Speaker has gone to the ruling party, the post of the deputy speaker should go to the main Opposition party. The Congress is at the receiving end of its own arguments.'' said a senior leader of the Delhi BJP.

The Congress was hoping that senior leaders like Tajdar Babbar and Deep Chand Bandhu could be accommodated in the post as they have been left out of the six-member Cabinet of the Dikshit Government.