Guwahati: First-time BJP legislator Rahul Narvekar has been elected as the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker on Sunday, days after political turmoil unfolded in the state.
Narvekar is a BJP MLA from Colaba Assembly constituency.
The election got started at 11 am today after the House procedures. While Narvekar garnered 164 votes, the opposition candidate from Shiv Sena Rajan Salvi got 107 votes.
Other MLAs in the state Assembly who cast their ballots were Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
The Samajwadi Party (SP) chose not to support BJP candidate Narvekar, nevertheless. Both of its MLAs, Abu Azmi and Raees Shaikh remained seated during the head count.
Since February 2021, the post of the speaker was vacant after Nana Patole of Congress quit. Deputy speaker Narhari Zirwal had been acting as the Speaker.
The Shinde administration is anticipated to face its next test on Monday at the extraordinary two-day session of the Legislative Assembly after the election of the speaker.