After the formation of the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra, the work of the Legislative Assembly has commenced. Currently, a special three-day session of the state is underway in Mumbai. The oath-taking ceremony for the ruling and opposition MLAs was held on Saturday, December 7, and Sunday, December 8. Today marks the third and final day of the special session, during which the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly was elected. BJP leader and MLA Rahul Narvekar has been unanimously re-elected as the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde rebelled against Shiv Sena and formed a government with the BJP. Following this, the BJP claimed the post of Assembly Speaker and entrusted the responsibility to Rahul Narvekar. With this election, Narvekar becomes the first Speaker in Maharashtra to take the oath for two consecutive terms.
Also Read | Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Election; Rahul Narwekar Files Nomination For Second Term.
Rahul Narvekar, a lawyer, began his political career with Shiv Sena. He later joined the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Sharad Pawar before moving to the BJP ahead of the 2019 elections. Narvekar contested the election from the Colaba constituency in South Mumbai on a BJP ticket and emerged victorious.
He contested again from the same constituency in the 2024 elections and won once more. Narvekar became the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly after the Mahayuti government came to power in 2022. Notably, at the time, his father-in-law, Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar, was the Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Council. This marked a unique situation, with the father-in-law and son-in-law both serving as presiding officers of the two houses of the legislature. Narvekar is also recorded as the youngest Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.