Meira vows to be neutral,but mum on quitting Cong

The newly elected Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar made it clear that she will maintain impartiality in conducting proceedings of the House.

Meira Kumar on Wednesday sidestepped questions on whether she would resign from Congress in the wake of her election as Lok Sabha Speaker but made it clear that she will be a “neutral person”.

“I will be a neutral person” was her refrain to questions on whether she would quit the party to maintain impartiality in conducting proceedings of the House.

“Certainly the Speaker should be above board,impartial and neutral. That is what is expected of a Speaker,” she said when repeatedly asked the question.

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Neelam Sanjiva Reddy has been the only Lok Sabha Speaker to resign from his party – the Congress – after being elected to the post in March,1967.

Incidentally,Kumar’s predecessor Somnath Chatterjee,the first Left leader to adorn the post,was expelled from CPI(M) last year after he refused to follow the party directive to quit Speakership after the Left withdrew support to the Congress-led UPA government over Indo-US nuclear deal.

Kumar said she was starting the new assignment on a “positive note” as she had been assured of “undiluted” support by all political parties,groups and independent members.

“My name was proposed by all parties and after my election,every party gave me undiluted assurance that they will extend their fullest cooperation,” she said adding,it would be her endeavour to be impartial in her conduct,to give opportunity to all parties and ensure healthy and meaningful debate in the House.

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