Maharashtra Legislative Assembly newly elected 288 MLA’s will be sworn in today at the Vidhan Bhawan in Mumbai. Senior BJP leader and nine-time MLA Kalidas Kolambkar was appointed as the Pro-tem Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly who would administer oath of office to the newly-elected MLA’s.
Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan administered the oath to BJP MLA Kalidas Kolambkar at the Raj Bhavan in Mumbai yesterday. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra Legislative Council Deputy Chairperson Dr Neelam Gorhe, Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik were present on the occasion.
The three-day special session will begin from today 7th December and will end on the 9th December. On the first two days the MLA’s will be sworn in and on the final day the new Speaker would be elected followed by a vote for the new Devendra Fadnavis-headed Mahayuti government. Both the BJP and Shivsena are insisting for the speaker’s post. In the previous Mahayuti tenure BJP’s Rahul Narvekar MLA from colaba constituency was the speaker. If the BJP retains the speaker’s post then Rahul Narvekar might continue for the next five years. On the other hand Shivsena is also insisting on the speaker’s post. As per sources, BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar, Senior BJP leader and nine-term MLA Kalidas Kolambkar who is currently appointed as the pro-tem speaker for the three day special assembly session is also in the race of becoming the speaker. If Shivsena Shinde faction gets this post then as per sources, senior Shivsena MLA Sanjay Shirsat, ex cabinet minister Deepak Kesarkar, are in the race of becoming the speaker if Shivsena manages to get the speaker’s post. As of now there’s no clarification given by both the parties on who will keep the important post.