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Sayeed gets a shot in the arm

P M Sayeed, Congress candidate for the Lok Sabha deputy speaker, has received a shot in the arm when the Bharatiya Janata Party's ally and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee said the party was yet to make up its mind on the issue.

Talking to the media, Banerjee said support to the BJP government and deputy speaker's elections are two different issues. ''In fact I had openly suggested at the meeting of the BJP's allies that Sayeed is suitable for the post,'' she said.

Banerjee said she would hold consultations with the allies before firming up her party's stand on the issue.

Trinamool Congress was earlier party to the decision collectively taken by the BJP's allies authorising Prime Minister A B Vajpayee to take a decision on the deputy speaker's elections.

Rumblings in the BJP-led ruling coalition became apparent when Biju Janata Dal leader Thathgata Sathpati had communicated to his party president Naveen Patnaik on the need to hold free and fair discussions before finalising the party's stand on the deputy speaker's elections.

UNI

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