Rahul Narwekar, BJP's candidate, elected new Maharashtra Assembly Speaker ahead of no trust-vote against Eknath Shinde-led govt

New Delhi: First-time BJP legislator Rahul Narwekar has been elected as the new Maharashtra Assembly Speaker on Sunday (July 3, 2022). Narwekar, who received 164 votes during the special two-day session of the Legislative Assembly which began on Sunday at 11 am, defeated Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena candidate Rajan Salvi who could only poll 107 votes. Amid chants of "Jai Bhavani, Jai Shivaji" and "Bharat Mata ki Jai", Narwekar took charge as the Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly. 

Narwekar, 45, is the youngest ever Assembly Speaker in the country, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.

He is the MLA from the Colaba Assembly constituency in Mumbai and is the son-in-law of NCP leader Ramraje Nimbalkar, who is chairman of the Maharashtra Legislative Council. Narwekar had been earlier associated with the Sharad Pawar-led party and also the Shiv Sena.

#WATCH | BJP MLA Rahul Narwekar takes charge as the Speaker of Maharashtra Assembly amid chants of "Jai Bhavani, Jai Shivaji", "Jai Sri Ram", "Bharat Mata ki Jai" and "Vande Mataram".

(Source: Maharashtra Assembly) pic.twitter.com/oQ1qn2wdcp — ANI (@ANI) July 3, 2022

The post of Assembly Speaker was vacant since Congress' Nana Patole resigned in February 2021 to become his party's state unit president. Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal was officiating as acting Speaker in the meantime.

Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena-BJP govt to face a floor test on July 4

Narwekar has been elected as the speaker a day ahead of the four-day-old Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena-BJP government facing a floor test on July 4. 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 on Saturday morning, accompanied them back.

Shinde also has the support of 10 legislators of smaller parties and independents and 106 MLAs of the BJP in the Assembly.

Maharashtra Legislative Assembly: What is the party position in the 288-member House?

Following is the party position in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly:

BJP 106, Shiv Sena 55, NCP 53, Congress 44, Bahujan Vikas Aghadi 3, Samajwadi Party 2, AIMIM 2, Prahar Janshakti Party 2, MNS 1, CPI (M) 1, PWP 1, Swambhimani Paksha 1, Rashtriya Samaj Paksha 1, Jansurajya Shakti Party 1, Krantikari Shetkari Party 1, and Independents 13.

There is a vacancy due to the death of Shiv Sena MLA Ramesh Latke in May.

Two NCP members - Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and 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.