BJP MLA Rahul Narwekar Elected As Maharashtra Assembly Speaker

BJP MLA Rahul Narvekar
BJP MLA Rahul Narvekar

BJP MLA Rahul Narwekar Elected As Maharashtra Assembly Speaker

Rahul Narwekar Elected As Maharashtra Assembly Speaker: A day ahead of voting to prove majority in the Maharashtra Assembly, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde‘s camp on Sunday won a landslide victory by electing the Speaker of their choice.

BJP MLA Rahul Narvekar

BJP MLA Rahul Narvekar easily surpassed the majority mark as voting for the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker’s election was held through counting of votes. He was against Shiv Sena MLA Rajan Salvi of the Uddhav Thackeray team.

Earlier, two factions of Shiv Sena, one led by Uddhav Thackeray and the other led by Eknath Shinde, asked MLAs to vote for their respective president candidates.

The post of Speaker of the Assembly has been lying vacant since the resignation of Congress’ Nana Patole to become the state unit president of his party in February 2021. Vice President Narhari Jirwal was serving as Acting President.

The election of the Speaker’s post assumes significance in view of the recent developments in the state. Legal experts say that the Speaker can quash the disqualification proceedings against 16 rebel MLAs, including newly appointed Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. He was issued a disqualification notice by Deputy Speaker Narhari Jirwal last month.

Also, if the president recognizes the Shinde faction as the “real” Shiv Sena, the group will not need to merge with any other political party, say experts. Eknath Shinde has argued that he is the leader of the legislature party of Shiv Sena as he enjoys 2/3 majority.

The Eknath Shinde government will face a test of strength in the Assembly on Monday. Mr Shinde arrived in Mumbai last evening with 50 MLAs, including 39 insurgents from the Army – who were staying at a hotel in Goa after returning from Assam.

On Friday, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray removed Mr Shinde from the post of party leader for his involvement in “anti-party activities”. The Shinde faction says it will challenge the decision as it is now the “real” Sena.

After the Shinde camp managed to form a government with the help of the BJP, the fight has now moved on to control the Shiv Sena, the party founded by Mr. Thackeray’s father, Bal Thackeray.

Uddhav Thackeray resigned as Chief Minister on Wednesday after the Supreme Court refused to stay the no-confidence motion in the House ordered by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari.

The Supreme Court will hear on July 11 a plea by Shiv Sena chief whip Sunil Prabhu, seeking suspension of 16 rebel MLAs, against whom disqualification petitions are pending. On the same day, the top court will also hear petitions by the Shinde faction challenging his disqualification.

Last month, the Supreme Court extended till July 12 the deadline for the rebels to file their reply on the disqualification notice. The Shinde faction, in its petition, had claimed that the vice-president cannot decide on his disqualification in the form of a no-confidence motion was pending against him.

BJP MLA Rahul Narvekar.