Picture : Twitter / ANI
Senior Congress MLA Nana Patole was elected Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.The election of the speaker after the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government passed the floor test in the state assembly .
Pro tem speaker Dilip Walse Patil made the announcement after Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Kisan Kathore withdrew his nomination earlier in the day.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and some senior MLAs then escorted Patole, 57, to the Speaker’s chair.
Thackeray and BJP legislature party leader Devendra Fadnavis lauded Patole’s work as legislator and farmers’ leader.
“I am happy that the son of a farmer has occupied this post,” Thackeray said.
Minister Jayant Patil of the NCP said he appreciates the spirit of understanding shown by the opposition BJP in withdrawing their candidate and ensuring that Patole was elected unopposed.
Patole succeeds Haribhau Bagade of the BJP, who was speaker during 2014-2019 when Fadnavis was the CM.
Patole represents Sakoli Assembly segment in Vidarbha, while Kathore is from Murbad in Thane district. This is the fourth term as an MLA for both.
