Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, July 3: A day ahead of the floor test, the Eknath Shinde – BJP camp demonstrated their majority comfortably winning the very crucial election for the speaker of the state Assembly on Sunday.
With the official candidate for the post Rahul Narwekar, a BJP legislator, polling 164 votes against Shiv Sena’s nominee Rajan Salvi 107 votes, the Shinde-BJP camp easily went past the majority mark of 144 votes in the House of 287. A total of three MLAs – Samajwadi Party’s Abu Azmi and Raees Shaikh, and AIMIM’s Shah Farukh Anwar abstained from voting.
Earlier, the two Shiv Sena factions, one headed by Uddhav Thackeray and the other led by Eknath Shinde, issued whips asking the MLAs to vote for their respective Speaker candidates.
The post of Assembly Speaker had been vacant since Nana Patole of Congress resigned in February 2021 to become his party’s state unit president. Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal had been officiating as the acting Speaker.
The election for the post of Assembly Speaker was crucial in view of the recent turn of events in the state. Legal experts say that the new Speaker may dismiss the disqualification proceedings against 16 Shiv Sena MLAs from the Shinde camp, including the newly sworn-in Chief Minister himself. The disqualification notices were issued to them by Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal last month.
Further, if Rahul Narwekar recognises the Shinde faction as the “real” Shiv Sena, the group will not be required to merge with any other political party, experts say. Eknath Shinde has contended that he is Sena’s Legislature Party Leader as he enjoys a 2/3rd majority.
The Eknath Shinde government will face the test of strength in the assembly on Monday. Shinde landed in Mumbai last evening along with 50 MLAs, including 39 Sena rebels – who were staying at a Goa hotel after returning from Assam.
Eknath Shinde took charge as the Chief Minister of the state on Thursday night, while BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis was elected as his Deputy.
On Friday, Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray removed Mr Shinde as the party leader for indulging in “anti-party activities”. The Shinde faction says it will challenge the decision as it is the “real” Sena now.
Narwekar, 45, is the youngest ever Assembly Speaker in the country, Fadnavis claimed. His father-in-law Ramraje Naik of NCP is the chairperson of the State Legislative Council. The post of Speaker is vacant since February last year after Nana Patole of Congress quit.
As many as 50 MLAs who support Shinde, including 39 rebel legislators of the Shiv Sena, on Saturday evening flew to Mumbai from Goa by a chartered flight. Shinde, who had flown to Goa in the morning, accompanied them back.
Shinde has the support of 10 legislators of smaller parties and independents and 106 MLAs of the BJP in the 288-member House. There is a vacancy due to the death of Shiv Sena MLA Ramesh Latke in May.
Two NCP members — former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and former Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal — have tested COVID-19 positive, while two other party legislators — Anil Deshmukh and Nawab Malik — are currently in jail.
Meanwhile, the former chief minister and Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday expelled Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde from the party for indulging in “anti-party activities”. “In exercise of powers vested in me as Shiv Sena party president, I remove you from the post of Shiv Sena leader in the party organisation,” Thackeray wrote in a letter addressed to the Maharashtra CM, who had led a faction of rebel Sena MLAs.
Shiv Sena chief whip Sunil Prabhu said some defied Shiv Sena whip while voting in Speaker election. “A complaint has been filed with the presiding officer. They could possibly be disqualified as a result. The matter of suspension of twelve members is still pending in SC,” he said.
