Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Nana Patole on Tuesday said that Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar's decision to form a government with Congress in the state was based on "secularism".
"Sharad Pawar is a big leader from Maharashtra and he knows the state like no other. I think his decision to side with Congress was based on the ideology of secularism, for which he is being appreciated," Patole told ANI here.
Patole, who was appointed as the Speaker after Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray formed a government in coalition with Congress and NCP in the state, thanked the three leaders for the responsibility bestowed on him.
"I thank Sonia Gandhiji, Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray for giving me this responsibility. I think I will help in giving justice to the 13 crore population of Maharashtra through the Legislative Assembly," he said.
He also added that he would meet Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi in Delhi today to seek her blessings.
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