Rahul Narvekar Of BJP Elected As Maharashtra Assembly Speaker

Earlier on Friday, Narvekar filed his nomination as the party candidate for the election to the post of Maharashtra assembly speaker.

Rahul Narvekar. ( Image Source :ANI )

Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Rahul Narwekar has been elected as a new speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly on Sunday with over 140 votes, news agency PTI reported. 

Earlier on Friday, Narvekar filed his nomination as the party candidate for the election to the post of Maharashtra assembly speaker.

Since Nana Patole of Congress resigned in February 2021 to become his party's state unit president, the position of Assembly Speaker has been vacant. Acting Speaker while the absence of the Speaker was Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal.

Given the recent turn of events in the state, the election for Assembly Speaker was of utmost importance. According to legal experts, the Speaker may decide to drop the disqualification charges against 16 rebel MLAs, including newly-installed Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal sent them the disqualification notifications last month.

On Monday, the legislature will put the Eknath Shinde administration to the test. Along with 50 MLAs who were staying at a Goa hotel after returning from Assam, including 39 Sena dissidents, Shinde arrived in Mumbai last night.

For engaging in "anti-party actions," Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray ousted Shinde as party leader on Friday. 

Who Is Rahul Narwekar?

South Mumbai's Colaba neighbourhood is where Narvekar was born and raised. A Colaba corporator named Makarand is his brother.

Narvekar, is the son-in-law of prominent NCP figure Ramraje Naik-Nimbalkar.

In his early years, he served as the Youth Wing of Shiv Sena's spokesperson. 2014 saw him leave the party and join NCP. Narvekar stated that Uddhav Thackeray's (the party's senior brass) alleged inaccessibility was the reason he left the Sena.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Shiv Sena candidate Shrirang Appa Barne defeated Rahul Narvekar from Maval.

Before the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, Colaba native Narvekar switched to the BJP. He defeated Ashok Jagtap of the Congress to win the Colaba assembly elections.