Amidst high drama and minutes before filing of nominations by the two candidates Rita Verma (BJP) and P M Sayeed (Congress) before the deadline of 1200 hours, the two parties reached a last-minute agreement for postponement of the contest to try for a consensus.

At a meeting Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee had with leaders of allied parties this morning, Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee demanded that efforts be made for evolving a consensus on the issue as she felt the house should not be divided.

She suggested the election be postponed till next session by when a consensus could be worked out, coalition sources said.

This was strongly supported by AIADMK leader R Muthiah who felt both the sides -- BJP and Congress --should not go ahead with the contest for the present.

Leader of Biju Janata Dal Naveen Patnaik and Independent member Maneka Gandhi asserted the ruling coalition should go ahead with the contest but what appeared to clinch the matter was the reported refusal of Banerjee and Muthiah to sign the motion proposing Verma's candidature.

Following this development, the Prime Minister asked Parliamentary Affairs Minister Madan Lal Khurana to discuss the issue with leader of the Opposition Sharad Pawar who agreed on the postponment at a meeting convened by Speaker G M C Balayogi.

A joint statement issued after the meeting by Khurana and Pawar said ``the proposal of Mamata Banerjee for postponement of the election of deputy speaker in order to arrive at a consensus was considered and a joint decision was arrived at not to file nominations by both candidates today.''Khurana refused to answer any question on the subject at his daily meeting with reporters.