Maharashtra: Speaker Nana Patole to resign, to head Congress in state

Congress leaders in Delhi spoke with chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar and conveyed the decision, said people aware of the matter

Maharashtra Assembly speaker Nana Patole is expected to be announced as the Maharashtra Congress chief soon. Patole is likely to hand over his resignation to deputy speaker after which the formal announcement will be done party’s central leadership from Delhi.

Nana Patole. (HT Photo)

Patole hails from Vidarbha region and has influence in the peasant Kunbi community. In several parts of the region, the community supported Congress in the 2019 assembly elections. Patole began as a Congress leader but later shifted to the BJP. He was elected as BJP MP in 2014 from the Bhandara-Gondia constituency but later quit the party by criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi and returned to the Congress. He was elected to the state assembly in 2019 and was made Speaker when the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) formed the government.

After his meeting with the central leadership on Wednesday, Patole returned to Maharashtra on Thursday morning. His name for the post of the state unit chief has been finalised by Congress and formal discussion with the chiefs of the other two ruling parties has taken place, said people aware of the matter.

“Patole is expected to resign from his post anytime soon. As per the parliamentary traditions, no speaker can hold any political position unless he relinquishes the chair. The official announcement by the party is expected only after he resigns from the post,” said a top Congress leader.

Congress’ organisational leaders in Delhi spoke with chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar and conveyed the decision. “The unanimous election of the speaker in the Assembly is the responsibility of three ruling parties and thus, talking to other two parties was necessary. Both the parties have given go ahead for the changes,” the leader said.

According to the party leaders, Patole wanted to be made a minister in the MVA government alongwith the state Congress president but his request was turned down.

“He has been told that the party leadership does not want to disturb the state Cabinet and that the party needs a full-time chief to head the unit. Patole has reportedly accepted the party decision and will lead the state unit,” another leader from Delhi said.