The new Lok Sabha began with a deep rift between the NDA and the INDIA blocs. The INDIA bloc claimed that the ruling NDA superseded the senior-most member in Lok Sabha K Suresh of Congress for the ceremonial post of pro tem speaker, who administers oath to the new MPs. Bhartruhari Mahtab of the BJP was named the pro tem speaker. The Congress has alleged that Suresh, a Dalit member, has been ignored for pro tem speaker’s post “for reasons other than merit”,
