With BJP-led NDA also backing him, veteran CPI-M leader Somnath Chatterjee will make history by becoming the first Communist to occupy the presiding officer's post in the Lok Sabha.

His was the only name left in the fray when the deadline for filing nominations expired at noon on Thursday.

Eighteen sets of nominations supporting the 75-year-old were filed by leaders of major parties, including Sonia Gandhi (Congress), Atal Bihari Vajpayee (BJP) and L K Advani (BJP).

He will be unanimously elected to the post in the House on Friday when a resolution favouring his nomination will be put to vote and adopted.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad told reporters that 'each political party' has supported Chatterjee's candidature, which is a tribute to the CPI-M leader's 'able leadership, statesmanship and experience'.