Rahul Narwekar Set to Be Re-Elected as Maharashtra Speaker

On Sunday, Mr Narwekar filed his nomination papers for the Speaker’s post before legislature secretary Jitendra Bhole in the presence of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, deputy chief ministers Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde and other senior leaders.

A formal announcement of Mr Narwekar’s election as Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha Speaker will be made on Monday. The speaker’s election on Monday will be followed by a trust vote of the Devendra Fadnavis-led Mahayuti government, which was sworn in on December 5.

Mr Narwekar said that his nomination for the Speaker’s post is seen as the BJP’s persistent efforts to promote youth leaders in the party. “The BJP is known as a party with a difference. In this party, when someone is given the responsibility, his age or experience is not considered, but only the merit is taken into account.”

“As the Vidhan Sabha Speaker, I will work impartially and will try to give justice to all people in Maharashtra,” he added.

Mr Narwekar, a two-time MLA from the high-profile Colaba seat, also served as the Speaker in the 14^th Vidhan Sabha between 2022 and 2024. During his tenure, he had ruled that the faction led by Mr Shinde was the legitimate and real Shiv Sena after a split in the Bal Thackeray-founded party. He also held that the faction under Mr Pawar was the real NCP, which was founded by Sharad Pawar.

The MVA leaders, meanwhile, met Mr Fadnavis and urged him to follow the protocol of giving the deputy Speaker’s post to the Opposition. They also sought the post of the Leader of the Opposition.

The MVA MLAs also took the oath of office on Sunday, a day after deciding against it to protest the alleged misuse of EVMs in the recently held state Assembly polls.

When elected to the post in 2022 at the age of 44 years, Mr Narwekar was Maharashtra’s second-youngest Vidhan Sabha Speaker. Congress leader Shivraj Patil, who became the Speaker at 42, is the youngest to hold the office in the state.