With the appointment of Maharashtra’s Chief Minister and two Deputy Chief Ministers completed, attention now shifts to the crucial election of the state assembly Speaker, scheduled for Monday.
According to insiders, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) plans to retain the Speaker’s post and is likely to nominate Rahul Narwekar for a second term. Narwekar, a BJP MLA from Colaba, previously held the position during the Mahayuti government’s last tenure. His rulings in key political disputes, including disqualification petitions involving Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, played a decisive role in Maharashtra's political landscape.
“The Shiv Sena had expressed interest in the post, but the BJP chose to keep it within the party. Narwekar’s performance in the previous term was commendable, making him our top choice,” said a senior BJP leader.
The state legislature issued an official notice on Saturday, setting the election process in motion. Nominations must be filed by 12 pm on Sunday, followed by scrutiny the same day. On Monday, a ruling alliance member will propose a candidate, and if the motion passes, the new Speaker will be appointed. If the opposition fields a nominee, an election will be held.
Narwekar’s appointment as Speaker in July 2022 followed the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government after Eknath Shinde's split from the Shiv Sena. His rulings recognized the Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP as the legitimate party factions, rejecting disqualification requests from Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar’s camps.
Narwekar, a two-time MLA from Colaba, began his political career with the Shiv Sena but left after being denied a ticket for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. He then joined the NCP but lost the Maval seat election. Switching to the BJP in 2019, he secured his first assembly win from Colaba and was elected Speaker in 2022.