BJP MLA Rahul Narwekar submitted his nomination for the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker’s post on December 8, 2024. He was joined by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule, senior leader Chandrakant Patil, and several other party officials. The election for the post will take place on December 9, 2024, in the afternoon session.
Narwekar, representing Colaba, previously served as Speaker during the Mahayuti government’s last term. His tenure saw pivotal rulings on political disputes, including disqualification petitions involving Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar. His decisions were crucial in shaping Maharashtra's political dynamics.
Appointed as Speaker in July 2022 following the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, Narwekar upheld the legitimacy of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP factions, rejecting disqualification pleas from Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar's camps. Narwekar's political journey began with the Shiv Sena, but he left the party after being denied a ticket for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. He later joined the NCP but faced defeat in the Maval parliamentary constituency. In 2019, he switched to the BJP, won the Colaba assembly seat, and was elected Speaker in 2022. His political career has been marked by strategic moves and influential leadership roles.