Andhra MP may replace Somnath

Congress member V Kishore Chandra Singh Deo could occupy the Lok Sabha Speaker's chair in case Somnath Chatterjee opts to quit his post.

According to top party sources, Singh Deo, who represents the reserved Parvathipuram constituency of Andhra Pradesh, has been considered the most appropriate Congress MP to replace Chatterjee.

Congress floor managers have even discussed Singh Deo's name with prominent United Progressive Alliance ally leaders who have initially welcomed the idea.

Congress apprehends that Chatterjee may demit office after the four Left parties — Communist Party of India-Marxist, CPI, Revolutionary Socialist Party and Forward Bloc -- withdraw support to the UPA government.

He may prefer to join the Left bandwagon to protest and vote against the government in the House. A trust motion is likely to come up in July itself as the Left is mulling pulling out of the government after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh comes back from his Japan trip.

Singh Deo, a popular politician among the parliamentarians, has been a four-time member of the Lok Sabha and also served Rajya Sabha during 1994-2000.

He has been Union minister of state, Ministry of Steel, Mines and Coal. Apart from holding various other posts, he is also a member from the Congress in the Business Advisory Committee of the Lower House, helping the speaker to set the weekly routine of the Lok Sabha.