Congress-NCP-Shiv Sena, want Balasaheb Thorat as pro-tem speaker in Maharashtra

Maharashtra Congress president Balasaheb Thorat should be made pro-tem speaker to conduct the floor test, NCP state chief Jayant Patil demanded on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters here, Patil said Thorat should be made the pro-tem speaker as he is the senior-most member in the Maharasthra Assembly.

"We have demanded that Balasaheb Thorat, who has been elected for the 8th term, should be appointed the pro-tem speaker. I hope the Governor will listen to us," the NCP leader said.

He further said, "This is a demand of the three parties that the Governor should consider Balasaheb Thorat as pro-tem speaker,"

He added that Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis has no constitutional authority to advise the Governor about the appointment.

According to sources, NCP leader Ajit Pawar, who took oath as Deputy of Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis on Saturday, has resigned from his post after the Supreme Court ruled for a floor test by 5 pm on Wednesday.

Congress, NCP, and Shiv Sena paraded their MLAs at a hotel in Mumbai on Monday and claimed that they have a total of 162 legislators.

The BJP had won 105 seats in the 288-member assembly in last month's assembly polls followed by Shiv Sena 56, NCP 54 and Congress 44.

Although BJP and Shiv Sena got the mandate to form the government, the two parties parted ways over power-sharing.