Narwekar to return as Maha Speaker, MVA skips contest

Colaba MLA Rahul Narwekar of the BJP is all set to get re-elected as speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly with the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) on Sunday deciding to skip the contest.

Narwekar filed his nomination for the Speaker’s election on Sunday. He was accompanied by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar.

The election result -- a formality after the MVA decided not to put up a candidate -- will be announced on Monday. Subsequently, the Fadnavis-led NDA government will prove its majority on the floor of the House, following the customary address by Governor CP Radhakrishnan.

In his previous term as Speaker, Narwekar had ruled that the split factions of the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party led by Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar were the real Shiv Sena and NCP.

Meanwhile, leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition, struggling to keep its flock together, today met Fadnavis and demanded the position of the deputy speaker in the state Assembly.

They cited convention to seek the deputy speaker’s post. The MVA has also sought the post of the leader of opposition (LoP) in Maharashtra. Officially, no opposition party could secure the required numbers -- 10 % of the total strength of the 288-member House -- to claim LoP’s post.

This is the first time in six decades that such a situation has arisen in the richest state of India. Mahayuti partners -- BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP swept this election, winning 230 of the 288 seats.

On the ruling NDA side, the BJP is the single largest party with 132 MLAs, followed by Shiv Sena (57), NCP (41), Jan Surabaya Shakti Party (2), Rashtriya Yuva Swabhiman Party (1), Rashtriya Samaj Paksh (1), Independents (2), and Rajarshi Shahu Vikas Aghadi (1).

Meanwhile, in the Opposition, the Shiv Sena (UBT) has 20 MLAs, Congress (16); NCP (SP) (10), CPM (1), PWP (1), AIMIM (1), and Samajwadi Party (2).

No party eligible to claim LoP’s post

For the first time in six decades, no opposition party in Maharashtra has the required numbers to officially claim the post of leader of opposition.

However, leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition have cited convention to urge Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to grant the position to the opposition.

Besides, MVA leaders have demanded the position of the deputy speaker in the state Assembly.