Government yet to approach us with any name for RS Deputy Chairman: Azad

New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad on Tuesday said the government has not approached the Congress or other opposition parties yet to build consensus on its choice of name for the post of Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

“First of all, the government has not approached us. They can say anything… They are on record for so many things, but as far as the real record is concerned, they are no where,” Azad told reporters.

“Their Parliamentary Affairs Minister or Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) or any other leader, none of them has approached the opposition,” he added.

Azad said: “I am the Leader of the Opposition and they have not approached me, we are the single largest party. So unless they approach us and tell us about their choice of candidate, I cannot comment on anything.”

The post of Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman fell vacant after P.J. Kurien retired this month.

Shiromani Akali Dal leader Naresh Gujral’s name was doing the rounds as a possible National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate, though he said he is not in the race.

IANS