As a two-day special assembly session began in Maharashtra on Sunday, the BJP's Rahul Narwekar - a first-time MLA -was elected as the new speaker. His win in the speaker polls by securing 164 votes in the 288-member house assumes significance ahead of Eknath Shinde floor test, expected to be held on Monday. Shinde's 11-day rebellion had led to the fall of the Uddhav Thackeray government this week. The 58-year-old rebel took charge as the chief minister on Thursday night and Devendra Fadnavis was elected as his deputy.
Rahul Narwekar - the MLA from Colaba - was seen as a surprise choice by many for the post, being a first-time legislator.
To contest against him, the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress combine had fielded Sena's Rajan Salvi, a Thackeray loyalist. Salvi managed to get 106 votes. Earlier, under a power-sharing arrangement sealed in 2019, a Congress leader had to be picked for the post. However, with Uddhav Thackeray witnessing the biggest rebellion in Shiv Sena in recent times, his allies backed a Sena leader for the post.
At the start of the session, after a voice vote, deputy speaker Narhari Zirwal had asked for a headcount. The headcount restarted after some confusion over the votes of two BJP members - Govardhan Sharma and Prakash Patil Bharsakhale.
Sunday's session was the first time that the legislators - across party lines - gathered after the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. "We expect our candidate to get 165-170 votes," Maharashtra BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar told ANI on Sunday morning ahead of the election.
{{/usCountry}}Sunday's session was the first time that the legislators - across party lines - gathered after the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. "We expect our candidate to get 165-170 votes," Maharashtra BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar told ANI on Sunday morning ahead of the election.
{{/usCountry}}Next on the agenda of the assembly would be a numbers' test for Ekanth Shinde, who has support of over 50 MLAs, including 38 Sena rebels. The BJP, meanwhile, has 106 MLAs in the 288-member house.
Shinde and Fadnavis on Saturday night held a meeting - seen as a show of strength - as the rebels returned from Goa to Mumbai
Shiv Sena's strength has come down from 55 after the revolt against "unnatural" alliance with the NCP and the Congress.
(With inputs from ANI)