A day before a trust vote in Maharashtra Assembly, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s team won the speaker’s election on Sunday. BJP legislator Rahul Narwekar got elected very easily polling 164 votes. His opponent was Shiv Sena MLA Rajan Salvi who got 107 votes. Three MLAs abstained from voting. Both the Shiv Sena factions headed by Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde issued whips asking MLAs to vote for their candidates. Nana Patole had resigned from the post of the Speaker in 2021 when he was appointed as PCC President. Since then, Narhari Zirwal has been officiating as Speaker.
According to political and legal experts, the new Speaker Narwekar my dismiss the disqualification proceeding against 16 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs. It is pending with the Supreme Court. The disqualification notice were issued to the rebel MLAs by Deputy Speaker Zirwal last month. Rahul Narwekar could recognize Shinde faction as real Shiv Sena. Then it will go to court again. Tomorrow’s confidence motion will win with the same majority got by the Speaker.
