NEW DELHI: The Congress on Wednesday said the INDIA constituents did not seek a division of votes in the Speaker's election as they wanted to maintain a spirit of consensus and cooperation.

"INDIA parties exercised their democratic right and moved motions in support of Kodikunnil Suresh as Lok Sabha Speaker. Voice Vote was taken. Thereafter, INDIA parties could have insisted on division," AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X.

"They did not do so. This is because they wanted a spirit of consensus and cooperation to prevail, a spirit singularly lacking in the actions of the PM and the NDA," he added.

The Opposition had put up K Suresh as a joint candidate against NDA's choice Om Birla, who was eventually elected as Speaker for the third time in a row.